Open AccessMice Deficient in Nuclear Factor of Activated T-Cell Transcription Factor c2 Mount Increased Th2 Responses after Infection with Nippostrongylus brasiliensis and Decreased Th1 Responses after Mycobacterial Infection
Author(s) -
Klaus J. Erb,
Thomas Twardzik,
Alois Palmetshofer,
Gisela Wohlleben,
Ursula Tatsch,
Edgar Serfling
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
infection and immunity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.508
H-Index - 220
eISSN - 1070-6313
pISSN - 0019-9567
DOI - 10.1128/iai.71.11.6641-6647.2003
Subject(s) - nippostrongylus brasiliensis , biology , immunology , spleen , interleukin 4 , lymph node , interferon gamma , t cell , lymphokine , cytokine , microbiology and biotechnology , immune system
Infection of nuclear factor of activated T-cell transcription factor c2 (NFATc2)-deficient mice with the helminth Nippostrongylus brasiliensis led to a distinct increase in interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-5 protein synthesis by lymph node and spleen cells and to elevated serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels in comparison to those seen with infected control mice. While IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 mRNA expression was also enhanced in lymph node cells from the lungs of infected NFATc2(-/-) mice, the number of T cells secreting Th2-type lymphokines remained the same in mice infected with N. brasiliensis. In contrast, lymphocytes from NFATc2-deficient mice infected with Mycobacterium bovis BCG secreted less gamma interferon than lymphocytes from infected control mice. These findings indicate that NFATc2 is an activator of Th1 responses and a suppressor of Th2 responses in vivo.