ANALYSIS OF T-CELL POPULATIONS AND IL-3 MESSENGER-RNA EXPRESSION IN MESENTERIC LYMPH-NODE CELLS AND INTESTINAL INTRAEPITHELIAL LYMPHOCYTES IN STRONGYLOIDES RATTI-INFECTED MICE
T. Abe et al., ANALYSIS OF T-CELL POPULATIONS AND IL-3 MESSENGER-RNA EXPRESSION IN MESENTERIC LYMPH-NODE CELLS AND INTESTINAL INTRAEPITHELIAL LYMPHOCYTES IN STRONGYLOIDES RATTI-INFECTED MICE, Journal of Helminthology, 72(1), 1998, pp. 1-8
T cell populations and IL-3 mRNA expression were analysed in mesenteri
c lymph node cells and intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) in
Strongyloides ratti-infected mice. On days 7 and 12 post-infection, 2
.6 times as many mesenteric lymph node cells were present in S. ratti-
infected mice compared with uninfected mice. Although the percentages
of CD3(+), CD4(+) and CD8(+) cells decreased during infection, the abs
olute numbers of these cell types increased on day 7 due to an overall
increase in the mesenteric lymph node cell number. The CD4/CD8 ratio
in IEL was increased on day 5, whereas no significant change in the CD
4/CD8 ratio was observed in the mesenteric lymph node cells. Expressio
n of IL-3 mRNA, which is an important cytokine for the induction of mu
rine mucosal mastocytosis and S. ratti-expulsion, was examined in mese
nteric lymph nodes and IEL of uninfected and infected mice. IL-3 mRNA
was detected in mesenteric lymph nodes of S. ratti-infected mice but n
ot detected in the lymph nodes of uninfected mice. IL-3 mRNA was detec
ted in IEL from both infected and uninfected mice with an 20-fold incr
ease in expression in IEL of infected mice. Overall, IL-3 mRNA levels
were higher in IEL than in mesenteric lymph nodes following S. ratti-i
nfection. Expression of IL-4, IL-10, stem cell factor (SCF or c-kit li
gand) and IFN-gamma mRNA was also examined in these two tissues. IL-10
mRNA was not detected in any tissue examined and IFN-gamma mRNA level
s were unaltered as a result of an S. ratti-infection. Elevated expres
sion of mRNA for SCF (5-fold) and IL-4 (20-fold) was observed in the m
esenteric lymph nodes of infected mice. in contrast, SCF mRNA levels w
ere similar in IEL of uninfected and infected animals and only a modes
t increase in IL-4 mRNA was observed in IEL of infected mice.