Interleukin-13 and IgE production in rat experimental schistosomiasis
Cêtre, C.; Pierrot, C.; Maire, E.; Capron, M.; Capron, A.; Khalife, J.
European Cytokine Network 11(2): 241-249
2000
ISSN/ISBN: 1148-5493 PMID: 10903803 Document Number: 516995
The expression of IL-13 was investigated in rats experimentally infected with Schistosoma mansoni. A significant increase in IL-13 mRNA expression in spleen, liver and lungs was demonstrated following primary and secondary infection. IL-13 protein was detected by intracellular staining in spleen cells from infected rats, and in the supernatants of antigen-stimulated spleen cells in vitro. Furthermore, circulating levels of IL-13 were increased in sera from infected rats as compared to those from non-infected control animals. It is concluded that, like IL-4, IL-13 is upregulated and secreted during rat schistosomiasis, suggesting an involvement of both cytokines in IgE induction. In the in vivo experiments, only rats cotreated with neutralizing anti-IL-4 and anti-IL-13 antibodies showed significant decrease in the IgE levels. Moreover, administration of IL-13 enhanced total IgE levels.