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Dichotomy in the human CD4 + T‐cell response to Leishmania parasites
Author(s) -
Kemp MICHAEL,
Kurtzhals JØRGEN A. L.,
Kharazmi ARSALAN,
Theander THOR G.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
apmis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.909
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1600-0463
pISSN - 0903-4641
DOI - 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1994.tb04850.x
Subject(s) - immunology , leishmania , biology , exacerbation , interferon , leishmania major , interferon gamma , leishmaniasis , disease , t cell , cytokine , virology , parasite hosting , immune system , medicine , pathology , world wide web , computer science
Leishmania parasites cause human diseases ranging from self‐healing cutaneous ulcers to fatal systemic infections. In addition, many individuals become infected without developing disease. In mice the two subsets of CD4 + T cells, Thl and Th2, have different effects on the outcome of experimental Leishmania infections. Thl cells producing interferon‐y (IFN‐y) mediate resistance, whereas Th2 cells producing interleukin‐4 (IL‐4) and IL‐10 are associated with susceptibility and exacerbation. Evidence is accumulating that a Th1/Th2 dichotomy in the T‐cell response to Leishmania exists also in humans, and that the balance between subsets of parasite‐specific T cells may play an important regulatory role in determining the outcome of the infections.