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In situ immune responses to interstitial pneumonitis in human visceral leishmaniasis
Author(s) -
TUON F. F.,
GUEDES F.,
FERNANDES E. R.,
PAGLIARI C.,
AMATO V. S.,
SEIXAS DUARTE M. I.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
parasite immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.795
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1365-3024
pISSN - 0141-9838
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3024.2008.01080.x
Subject(s) - visceral leishmaniasis , immune system , immunology , interstitial lung disease , hypersensitivity pneumonitis , lung , cd8 , leishmaniasis , pathology , cytokine , biology , medicine
SUMMARY Lung disease during active human visceral leishmaniasis is frequently reported. As such, studies have associated pulmonary symptoms to interstitial pneumonitis with a mononuclear infiltrate. However, the immune response in this condition has never been described before. The aim of this study was to determine the immunophenotypic pattern and cytokine profile of lung involvement (IPL) in human visceral leishmaniasis. Quantitative methods of analysis were performed using immunohistochemistry, and were compared with a control group of normal lung. Interstitial macrophages and cd8 cells were increased in IPL, and IL‐4 as well as TNF‐α displayed increased expression when compared to the control group. This inflammatory process with a Th2 pattern, as suggested by increased IL‐4 and low IFN‐γ expression, is consistent with the immune response in other organs of visceral leishmaniasis. The microenvironment of the immune response in this condition is associated with lung disease in patients with interstitial pneumonitis related to visceral leishmaniasis, increasing the chance of bacterial infection.