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Brief Definitive Report |
guidotti{at}scripps.edu
Although coinfection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and Schistosoma mansoni is a frequent event in humans, little is known about the interactions between these two pathogens. S. mansoni infection induces T helper cell type 2 (Th2)–type cytokines in the liver of humans and mice. The intrahepatic induction of nitric oxide (NO) and Th1-type cytokines, such as interferon (IFN)-
and IFN-
/β, inhibits HBV replication noncytopathically in the liver of transgenic mice. To examine whether S. mansoni infection and the accompanying induction of Th2-type cytokines could interfere with HBV replication in the liver, HBV transgenic mice were infected with S. mansoni. By 5 wk after infection, HBV replication disappeared concomitant with the intrahepatic induction of NO and Th1-type cytokines, and in the absence of Th2-type cytokines. By 6–8 wk after infection, HBV replication remained undetectable and this was associated with further induction of NO and Th1-type cytokines together with the appearance of Th2-type cytokines. The S. mansoni–dependent antiviral effect was partially blocked by genetically deleting IFN-
, although it was unaffected by deletion of IFN-
/β. These results indicate that IFN-
(probably via NO) mediates most of this antiviral activity and that Th2-type cytokines do not counteract the antiviral effect of IFN-
. Similar events may suppress HBV replication during human S. mansoni infection.
Key Words: transgenic/knockout infectious immunity virus helminth parasites Th1/Th2 cytokines liver
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