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Leishmania-specific T cells expressing interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and IL-10 upon activation are expanded in individuals cured of visceral leishmaniasis.
Authors:K Kemp  M Kemp  A Kharazmi  A Ismail  J A Kurtzhals  L Hviid  T G Theander
Institution:Centre for Medical Parasitology at Laboratory Centre and RHIMA Centre, Copenhagen University Hospital (Rigshospitalet), Denmark. kkcmp@rh.dk
Abstract:Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from patients who have recovered from visceral leishmaniasis often respond to Leishmania antigens in vitro by production of both IL-4, IFN-gamma and IL-10. In order to establish the cellular sources of these cytokines, we activated cells from individuals with a history of visceral leishmaniasis with Leishmania antigen for 6 days in culture, and identified cytokine production at the single-cell level by flow cytometry. The cytokines were only found in CD3+ cells and among these mainly within the CD4+ subset. The percentage of cytokine-producing cells was compared in Leishmania-activated PBMC cultures from the previous patients and from individuals living in a village where leishmaniasis does not occur. The percentage of IL-10- and IFN-gamma-containing cells was significantly higher in the previous patients than in the controls, indicating that Leishmania-specific T cells producing IL-10 and/or IFN-gamma had been expanded as a result of the infection. The cytokine-producing cells in the previous patients could be divided into three types: (i) cells producing IFN-gamma only; (ii) cells producing IL-4 only; and (iii) cells producing IFN-gamma and IL-10 simultaneously. The first and second group of cells can be described as Th1- and Th2-type cells, respectively. The third group could be a regulatory subset of T cells important for maintaining a balance between Th1- and Th2-type cells in these individuals.
Keywords:leishmaniasis  cytokines  flow cytometry
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