Interleukin-13 in Iranian patients with visceral leishmaniasis: relationship to other Th2 and Th1 cytokines.
Babaloo, Z;
Kaye, PM;
Eslami, MB;
(2001)
Interleukin-13 in Iranian patients with visceral leishmaniasis: relationship to other Th2 and Th1 cytokines.
Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 95 (1).
pp. 85-88.
ISSN 0035-9203
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/s0035-9203(01)90344-x
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The role of interleukin (IL)-13, a Th2 cytokine sharing many of the features of IL-4, has not previously been examined in patients with visceral leishmaniasis (VL). We examined sera from Iranian patients with VL caused by Leishmania infantum. Serum IL-13 was detected in 50% (22/44) of patients with active primary disease. In comparison, IL-10 was detected in 79.5% (35/44), interferon gamma (IFN gamma) in 38.5% (17/44), and IL-4 in only 5% (2/44) of these patients. With few exceptions all 3 cytokines were undetectable after clinical recovery following antimony therapy. Five of 7 patients (71%) who failed antimony therapy and had relapsing disease had similar levels of IL-10 to patients with active primary disease. However, with only 1 exception, IL-13, IFN gamma and IL-4 were not detected in such patients. These data suggest that relapsing disease may result from defective cellular immunity, unrelated to immunosuppression mediated by IL-10.
