Identification and characterization of early interleukin (IL)-5/IL-13-producing cells and their inducing factors in experimental pulmonary cryptococcosis

T辅助(Th)2细胞反应与对寄生虫的保护性免疫有关。在免疫病理学方面，它们可能在过敏和哮喘等疾病中发挥重要作用。在新生隐球菌Th2细胞感染的肺部模型中，也发现了典型的杯状细胞增生、嗜酸性粒细胞增多、支气管收缩和巨噬细胞激活的免疫病理改变。早期产生IL-5/-13的细胞先于免疫病理Th2细胞的激活。拟议项目的目标之一是在实验性肺隐球菌病中识别这些Th2细胞因子产生细胞。最近发现的Th2相关细胞因子(IL-25、IL-33)是否调节早期产生IL-5/IL-13的细胞，也是令人感兴趣的，这种细胞因子也在隐球菌病中发现。本项目的研究结果将拓宽我们对新生葡萄球菌与天然免疫细胞的相互作用及其释放的介质在诱导适应性Th2反应中的影响的认识。

T helper (Th) 2 cell-responses are associated with protective immunity against parasites. In terms of immunopathology they can be important in diseases like allergy and Asthma bronchiale. In a pulmonary model of infection with the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans Th2 cell-induced immunopathology with typical goblet cell hyperplasia, eosinophilia, bronchconstriction and alternatively activated macrophages was found, too. Early interleukin (IL)-5/-13-producing cells precede the activation of immunopathological Th2 cells. One of the goals of the proposed project is to identify these Th2 cytokine-producing cells in experimental pulmonary cryptococcosis. It is also of interest if recently discovered Th2-associated cytokines (IL-25, IL-33), which are also found in cryptococcosis, regulate the early IL-5/IL-13-producing cells. The obtained results from this project will broaden our knowledge about the interaction of C. neoformans with innate immune cells and the impact of their released mediators on induction of adaptive Th2 responses.