1. Eosinophils Are an Endogenous Source of Interleukin-4 during Filarial Infections and Contribute to the Development of an Optimal T Helper 2 Response.
- Author
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Guth C, Schumacher PP, Vijayakumar A, Borgmann H, Balles H, Koschel M, Risch F, Lenz B, Hoerauf A, Hübner MP, and Ajendra J
- Subjects
- Animals, Female, Mice, Cells, Cultured, Disease Models, Animal, Macrophages immunology, Mice, Inbred BALB C, Eosinophils immunology, Filariasis immunology, Filarioidea immunology, Interleukin-4 metabolism, Interleukin-4 immunology, Th2 Cells immunology
- Abstract
Introduction: Interleukin-4 (IL-4) is a central regulator of type 2 immunity, crucial for the defense against multicellular parasites like helminths. This study focuses on its roles and cellular sources during Litomosoides sigmodontis infection, a model for human filarial infections., Methods: Utilizing an IL-4 secretion assay, investigation into the sources of IL-4 during the progression of L. sigmodontis infection was conducted. The impact of eosinophils on the Th2 response was investigated through experiments involving dblGATA mice, which lack eosinophils and, consequently, eosinophil-derived IL-4., Results: The absence of eosinophils notably influenced Th2 polarization, leading to impaired production of type 2 cytokines. Interestingly, despite this eosinophil deficiency, macrophage polarization, proliferation, and antibody production remained unaffected., Conclusion: Our research uncovers eosinophils as a major source of IL-4, especially during the early phase of filarial infection. Consequently, these findings shed new light on IL-4 dynamics and eosinophil effector functions in filarial infections., (© 2024 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.)
- Published
- 2024
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