Differential interleukin-6 mRNA expression in Nippostrongylus brasiliensisinfection of susceptible and resistant strains of mice

Intestinal parasitic infection is still a major problem in humans and anima ls, yet host immunity against gut parasitic infection remains partially und erstood. Eosinophilia and mastocytosis are features of such infection that have been shown to be genetically controlled. The expression of IL-6 is det ected in eosinophils, mast cells and neutrophils and may be responsible for the regulation of leucocytes at infective sites. The relationships between IL-6 expression, eosinophilia, mastocytosis and host immunity remain uncle ar. In the present report, a close correlation between IL-6 mRNA(+) cells, eosinophilia, mastocytosis and worm expulsion is demonstrated, which may in dicate a role for IL-6 in regulation of host immunity against intestinal pa rasite infection.