Increased Capacity for Interleukin-2 Synthesis Parallels Disease Progression in Mice Infected with Leishmania major |
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| Authors: | Frederick P. Heinzel Ronald M. Rerko Andrea M. Hujer Richard A. Maier Jr. |
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| Affiliation: | Division of Geographic Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, and the VA Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio 44106 |
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| Abstract: | Lymph node cells of BALB/c mice with progressive leishmaniasis produced sixfold more interleukin-2 (IL-2) in culture than those of healing C57BL/6 mice. IL-2 synthesis also increased in C57BL/6 mice made susceptible by IL-12 or gamma interferon deficiency. However, IL-2 mRNA levels in vivo did not reflect IL-2 production in vitro. Because IL-2 contributes to the pathogenesis of progressive leishmaniasis, the functional significance of these findings should be further explored. |
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