Regulatory cytokines in the lymphatic pathology of athymic mice infected with Brugia malayi

• Published in: International journal for parasitology 1996-05, Vol.26 (5), p.561-565
• Main Authors: Rao, U.R., Vickery, A.C., Kwa, B.H., Nayar, J.K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Brugia malayi; Brugia malayi - immunology; Brugia malayi - pathogenicity; cytokines; Cytokines - blood; Cytokines - metabolism; dilation; Elephantiasis, Filarial - immunology; Elephantiasis, Filarial - parasitology; Elephantiasis, Filarial - pathology; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor - metabolism; Helminthic diseases; Infectious diseases; inflammation; Interferon-gamma - metabolism; Interleukin-1 - metabolism; Interleukin-4 - metabolism; Interleukin-6 - metabolism; lymph; Lymph - immunology; Lymphatic System - immunology; Lymphatic System - parasitology; Lymphatic System - pathology; Male; Medical sciences; Mice; Mice, Nude; Miscellaneous; nude mice; Parasitic diseases; pathology; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - metabolism
• ISSN: 0020-7519; 1879-0135
• DOI: 10.1016/0020-7519(96)00036-7

To investigate whether Brugia malayi-induced lymphatic inflammation is due to production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, we determined the lymph and serum levels of interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CCSF) using enzyme immunoassays. Serum from normal and infected mice did not show elevated cytokine concentrations. Samples of lymph from parasitized lymphatics had significantly increased levels of IL-1 (range = 6–1620 pg/ml), IL-6 (19–17800 pg/ml), TNF-α (19–2000 pg/ml) and GM-CSF (4–275 pg/ml). The anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-4 (7–12 pg/ml) was in the normal range and no increase in interferon (INF)-γ was detected in lymph samples. The data suggest that increased levels of mediators or cytokines localized in the lymphatics may be important contributors to massive lymphatic dilation and inflammation.