Quantification of Leishmania major parasites in dendritic cells deficient for IL-4Rα signalling in BALB/c mice

Abstract

Susceptibility and resistance in cutaneous Leishmania major infection, is characterised by induction of distinct subsets of immunological response. BALB/c mice display susceptibility to L. major infection, developing T helper 2 (Th2) cell dominated responses with production of cytokines and resistant C57BL/6 mice catalyse Th1 dominated immune responses with increased IL-12 and Interferon-gamma (IFNγ). Th1 responses are associated with classical macrophage activation and parasite killing via inducible nitrous oxide synthase(iNOs). Paradoxically IL-4 administration during dendritic (DC) priming has been demonstrated to induce IL-12 production by these DC's and instruct a Th1 dominant response. To elucidate the role of endogenous IL-4 levels on DC mediated T cell education, BALB/c mice deficient for the IL-4 receptor α chain (a receptor shared between IL-4 and IL-13) specifically on