1. IL-12Rβ2 Is Essential for the Development of Experimental Cerebral Malaria.
- Author
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Fauconnier, Mathilde, Palomo, Jennifer, Bourigault, Marie-Laure, Meme, Sandra, Szeremeta, Frédéric, Beloeil, Jean-Claude, Danneels, Adeline, Charron, Sabine, Rihet, Pascal, Ryffel, Bernhard, and Quesniaux, Valérie F. J.
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CEREBRAL malaria , *PLASMODIUM berghei , *LABORATORY mice , *MAGNETIC resonance imaging , *ANGIOGRAPHY , *GENE expression , *T cells - Abstract
A Th1 response is required for the development of Plasmodium berghei ANKA (PbA)-induced experimental cerebral malaria (ECM). The role of pro-Th1 IL-12 in malaria is complex and controversial. In this study, we addressed the role of IL-12Rβ 2 in ECM development. C57BL/6 mice deficient for IL-12Rβ 2, IL-12p40, or IL-12p35 were analyzed for ECM development after blood-stage PbA infection in terms of ischemia and blood flow by noninvasive magnetic resonance imaging and angiography, T cell recruitment, and gene expression. Without IL-12Rβ 2, no neurologic sign of ECM developed upon PbA infection. Although wild-type mice developed distinct brain microvascular pathology, ECM-resistant, IL-12Rβ 2-deficient mice showed unaltered cerebral microcirculation and the absence of ischemia after PbA infection. In contrast, mice deficient for IL-12p40 or IL-12p35 were sensitive to ECM development. The resistance of IL-12Rβ 2-deficient mice to ECM correlated with reduced recruitment of activated T cells and impaired overexpression of lymphotoxin-α , TNF-α , and IFN-γ in the brain after PbA infection. Therefore, IL-12Rβ 2 signaling is essential for ECM development but independent from IL-12p40 and IL-12p35. We document a novel link between IL-12Rβ 2 and lymphotoxin-α , TNF-α , and IFN-γ expression, key cytokines for ECM pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2012
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