Diversion of the immune response to Neisseria gonorrhoeae from Th17 to Th1/Th2 by treatment with anti-transforming growth factor β antibody generates immunological memory and protective immunity.

ABSTRACT:

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The immune response to Neisseria gonorrhoeae is poorly understood, but its extensive antigenic variability and resistance to complement are thought to allow it to evade destruction by the host's immune defenses. We propose that N. gonorrhoeae also avoids inducing protective immune responses in the first place. We previously found that N. gonorrhoeae induces interleukin-17 (IL-17)-dependent innate responses in mice and suppresses Th1/Th2-dependent adaptive responses in murine cells in vitro through the induction of transforming growth factor β (TGF-β). In this study using a murine model of vaginal gonococcal infection, mice treated with anti-TGF-β antibody during primary infection showed accelerated clearance of N. gonorrhoeae, with incipient development of Th1 and Th2 re

SUBMITTER: Liu Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3101786 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature