Leishmania donovani: effect of therapy on expression of CD2 antigen and secretion of macrophage migration inhibition factor by T-cells in patients with visceral leishmaniasis

Exp Parasitol. 2005 Oct;111(2):130-2. doi: 10.1016/j.exppara.2005.05.009.

Abstract

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) commonly known as Kala-azar in India is one of the several clinically important infections, where Th1 sub-population of CD4+ T-cells, despite a pre-requisite, fails to express macrophage migration inhibition factor (MIF) and interferon-gamma which both activate the macrophage and coordinate the immune response to intra-cellular Leishmania sp. Expression of CD2 receptors before and after antileishmanial therapy on CD4+ T-cells of VL patients and their corresponding effect on MIF were examined. Before treatment the number of T-cells expressing CD2 was low which incorporated insignificant MIF response. The immunological reconstitution was, however, observed after treatment as manifested through upregulation of CD2+ T-cells with pronounced MIF generation response. The study, therefore, identifies a possible role of CD2 antigen in immunity to VL.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antimony Sodium Gluconate / pharmacology
  • Antimony Sodium Gluconate / therapeutic use
  • Antiprotozoal Agents / pharmacology
  • Antiprotozoal Agents / therapeutic use
  • CD2 Antigens / biosynthesis*
  • CD2 Antigens / drug effects
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Cellular / drug effects
  • Leishmania donovani / drug effects
  • Leishmania donovani / immunology*
  • Leishmaniasis, Visceral / drug therapy*
  • Leishmaniasis, Visceral / immunology
  • Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors / metabolism*
  • Male
  • T-Lymphocytes / drug effects
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*

Substances

  • Antiprotozoal Agents
  • CD2 Antigens
  • Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors
  • Antimony Sodium Gluconate