During acute experimental infection with the reticulotropic Trypanosoma cruzi strain Tulahuen IL-22 is induced IL-23-dependently but is dispensable for protection.

ABSTRACT: Protective immunity against Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease, depends on the activation of macrophages by IFN-γ and IL-17A. In contrast, IL-10 prevents immunopathology. IL-22 belongs to the IL-10 cytokine family and has pleiotropic effects during host defense and immunopathology, however its role in protection and pathology during T. cruzi infection has not been analyzed yet. Therefore, we examined the role of IL-22 in experimental Chagas disease using the reticulotropic Tulahuen strain of T. cruzi. During infection, IL-22 is secreted by CD4-positive cells in an IL-23-dependent fashion. Infected IL-22(-/-) mice exhibited an increased production of IFN-γ and TNF and displayed enhanced numbers of activated IFN-γ-producing T cells in their spleens. Additionally, the pr

SUBMITTER: Erdmann H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5030675 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature