Biomaterial Database

Immune effector mechanism in parasitic infections. 1999

F Y Liew, and D Xu, and W L Chan

Department of Immunology, University of Glasgow, UK. fy11h@clinmed.gla.ac.uk

In this article is a summary of our recent findings on the role of nitric oxide (NO) as an effector mechanism against the intracellular parasite, Leishmania major. NO is produced in large amounts in murine macrophages following activation by IFNgamma synthesized by Th1 cells. NO production is inhibited by IL-4, a product of Th2 cells. A set of stable cell surface markers has now been identified. ST2L and IL-18R are selectively expressed on Th2 and Th1 cells respectively. Antibody against ST2L can down-regulate Th2 cells in the highly susceptible BALB/c mice leading to control of otherwise fatal L. major infection. These results show directly the critical role of the balance between Th1 and Th2 cells in cutaneous leishmaniasis.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009569	Nitric Oxide	A free radical gas produced endogenously by a variety of mammalian cells, synthesized from ARGININE by NITRIC OXIDE SYNTHASE. Nitric oxide is one of the ENDOTHELIUM-DEPENDENT RELAXING FACTORS released by the vascular endothelium and mediates VASODILATION. It also inhibits platelet aggregation, induces disaggregation of aggregated platelets, and inhibits platelet adhesion to the vascular endothelium. Nitric oxide activates cytosolic GUANYLATE CYCLASE and thus elevates intracellular levels of CYCLIC GMP.	Endogenous Nitrate Vasodilator,Mononitrogen Monoxide,Nitric Oxide, Endothelium-Derived,Nitrogen Monoxide,Endothelium-Derived Nitric Oxide,Monoxide, Mononitrogen,Monoxide, Nitrogen,Nitrate Vasodilator, Endogenous,Nitric Oxide, Endothelium Derived,Oxide, Nitric,Vasodilator, Endogenous Nitrate
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D015415	Biomarkers	Measurable and quantifiable biological parameters (e.g., specific enzyme concentration, specific hormone concentration, specific gene phenotype distribution in a population, presence of biological substances) which serve as indices for health- and physiology-related assessments, such as disease risk, psychiatric disorders, ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE and its effects, disease diagnosis; METABOLIC PROCESSES; SUBSTANCE ABUSE; PREGNANCY; cell line development; EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDIES; etc.	Biochemical Markers,Biological Markers,Biomarker,Clinical Markers,Immunologic Markers,Laboratory Markers,Markers, Biochemical,Markers, Biological,Markers, Clinical,Markers, Immunologic,Markers, Laboratory,Markers, Serum,Markers, Surrogate,Markers, Viral,Serum Markers,Surrogate Markers,Viral Markers,Biochemical Marker,Biologic Marker,Biologic Markers,Clinical Marker,Immune Marker,Immune Markers,Immunologic Marker,Laboratory Marker,Marker, Biochemical,Marker, Biological,Marker, Clinical,Marker, Immunologic,Marker, Laboratory,Marker, Serum,Marker, Surrogate,Serum Marker,Surrogate End Point,Surrogate End Points,Surrogate Endpoint,Surrogate Endpoints,Surrogate Marker,Viral Marker,Biological Marker,End Point, Surrogate,End Points, Surrogate,Endpoint, Surrogate,Endpoints, Surrogate,Marker, Biologic,Marker, Immune,Marker, Viral,Markers, Biologic,Markers, Immune
D016773	Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous	An endemic disease that is characterized by the development of single or multiple localized lesions on exposed areas of skin that typically ulcerate. The disease has been divided into Old and New World forms. Old World leishmaniasis is separated into three distinct types according to epidemiology and clinical manifestations and is caused by species of the L. tropica and L. aethiopica complexes as well as by species of the L. major genus. New World leishmaniasis, also called American leishmaniasis, occurs in South and Central America and is caused by species of the L. mexicana or L. braziliensis complexes.	Leishmaniasis, American,Leishmaniasis, New World,Leishmaniasis, Old World,Oriental Sore,American Leishmaniasis,Cutaneous Leishmaniases,Cutaneous Leishmaniasis,Leishmaniases, Cutaneous,New World Leishmaniasis,Old World Leishmaniasis,Sore, Oriental
D051379	Mice	The common name for the genus Mus.	Mice, House,Mus,Mus musculus,Mice, Laboratory,Mouse,Mouse, House,Mouse, Laboratory,Mouse, Swiss,Mus domesticus,Mus musculus domesticus,Swiss Mice,House Mice,House Mouse,Laboratory Mice,Laboratory Mouse,Mice, Swiss,Swiss Mouse,domesticus, Mus musculus
D018320	Leishmania major	A parasitic hemoflagellate of the subgenus Leishmania leishmania that infects man and animals and causes cutaneous leishmaniasis (LEISHMANIASIS, CUTANEOUS) of the Old World. Transmission is by Phlebotomus sandflies.	Leishmania (Leishmania) major,Leishmania tropica major,Leishmania leishmania major,Leishmania leishmania majors,Leishmania majors,Leishmania tropica majors,leishmania major, Leishmania,major, Leishmania leishmania,majors, Leishmania,majors, Leishmania leishmania,majors, Leishmania tropica,tropica major, Leishmania,tropica majors, Leishmania
D018417	Th1 Cells	A subset of helper-inducer T-lymphocytes which synthesize and secrete INTERLEUKIN-2; INTERFERON-GAMMA; and INTERLEUKIN-12. Due to their ability to kill antigen-presenting cells and their lymphokine-mediated effector activity, Th1 cells are associated with vigorous delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions.	T Helper 1 Cells,TH-1 Cells,Type 1 Helper T Cells,Cell, TH-1,Cell, Th1,Cells, TH-1,Cells, Th1,TH 1 Cells,TH-1 Cell,Th1 Cell
D018418	Th2 Cells	A subset of helper-inducer T-lymphocytes which synthesize and secrete the INTERLEUKINS IL-4; IL-5; IL-6; and IL-10. These cytokines influence B-cell development and antibody production as well as augmenting humoral responses.	T Helper 2 Cell,T Helper2 Cell,TH-2 Cell,Th2 Cell,Type-2 Helper T Cell,T Helper 2 Cells,T Helper2 Cells,TH-2 Cells,Type-2 Helper T Cells,Cell, T Helper2,Cell, TH-2,Cell, Th2,Cells, T Helper2,Cells, TH-2,Cells, Th2,TH 2 Cell,TH 2 Cells,Type 2 Helper T Cell,Type 2 Helper T Cells