Interleukin-22 promotes T helper 1 (Th1)/Th17 immunity in chlamydial lung infection.

ABSTRACT: The role of interleukin-22 (IL-22) in intracellular bacterial infections is a controversial issue, although the contribution of this cytokine to host defense against extracellular bacterial pathogens has been well established. In this study, we focused on an intra-cellular bacterium, Chlamydia, and evaluated the production and function of IL-22 in host defense against chlamydial lung infection using a mouse model. We found that Chlamydia muridarum infection elicited quick IL-22 responses in the lung, which increased during infection and were reduced when bacterial loads decreased. More importantly, blockade of endogenous IL-22 using neutralizing anti-IL-22 monoclonal antibodies (mAb) resulted in more severe disease in the mice, leading to significantly higher weight loss and bacterial grow

SUBMITTER: Peng Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3960397 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature