Production of tumour necrosis factor during murine cutaneous leishmaniasis

H Moll, K Binöder, C Bogdan, W Solbach… - Parasite …, 1990 - Wiley Online Library
H Moll, K Binöder, C Bogdan, W Solbach, M Röllinghoff
Parasite immunology, 1990Wiley Online Library
We have assessed the role of tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF) during cutaneous
leishmaniasis and demonstrated that significant levels of TNF were released by spleen cells
from infected mice after in vitro restimulation with Leishmania major promastigotes. Spleen
cells from both genetically resistant and genetically susceptible mice were equally capable
of producing TNF. After challenge with bacterial endotoxin, TNF activity could also be
demonstrated in the serum of L. major‐infected mice and the titres correlated with the course …
Summary
We have assessed the role of tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF) during cutaneous leishmaniasis and demonstrated that significant levels of TNF were released by spleen cells from infected mice after in vitro restimulation with Leishmania major promastigotes. Spleen cells from both genetically resistant and genetically susceptible mice were equally capable of producing TNF. After challenge with bacterial endotoxin, TNF activity could also be demonstrated in the serum of L. major‐infected mice and the titres correlated with the course of cutaneous disease in susceptible and resistant mice. TNF did not exert a direct leishmanicidal effect in vitro. Furthermore, our study indicated that macrophages are the source of L. major‐induced TNF activity and that its elicitation is dependent on the presence of T cells. These findings suggest that TNF acts in concert with other cytokines produced during L. major infection and that its role depends on the composition of T cell subsets and cytokines present.
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