L-arginine deprivation impairs Leishmania major-specific T-cell responses.

ABSTRACT: The amino acid L-arginine plays a crucial role in the regulation of immune responses. We have recently shown that uncontrolled replication of Leishmania parasites at the site of pathology correlates with high levels of arginase activity in nonhealing leishmaniasis and that this elevated arginase activity causes local depletion of L-arginine. To further our understanding of the impact of L-arginine deprivation in experimental leishmaniasis, here we characterize in detail the effects of L-arginine deprivation on antigen-specific T cells and MPhi. The results of our study show that decrease of L-arginine levels in the extracellular milieu affects the biological activities of Leishmania major-specific T cells, both at the level of the magnitude and the quality of their responses. L. major-spec

SUBMITTER: Munder M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2948424 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature