Class II Major Histocompatibility Complex-Deficient Mice Initially Control an Infection with Leishmania major but Succumb to the Disease

• Published in: The Journal of infectious diseases Vol. 171; no. 5; pp. 1302 - 1308
• Main Authors: Chakkalath, Hrishekesh R., Theodos, Cynthia M., Markowitz, Jay S., Grusby, Michael J., Glimcher, Laurie H., Titus, Richard G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago, IL The University of Chicago Press 01.05.1995; University of Chicago Press
• Subjects: AIDS/HIV; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - immunology; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - immunology; Cell lines; Cultured cells; Cutaneous leishmaniasis; Experimental protozoal diseases and models; Genes, MHC Class II - genetics; Histocompatibility Antigens Class II - immunology; Immunophenotyping; Infections; Infectious diseases; Interferon-gamma - biosynthesis; Leishmania major; Leishmania major - growth & development; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous - immunology; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous - parasitology; Lesions; Lymph Nodes - cytology; Lymph Nodes - metabolism; Lymphocyte Activation; Macrophages; Major Articles; Medical sciences; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Molecules; Mutation - physiology; Parasites; Parasitic diseases; Protozoal diseases; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta - analysis; T lymphocytes; Protozoa; Protozoal disease; Pathogenesis; Major histocompatibility system; Rodentia; Class II histocompatibility antigen; Parasitosis; Leishmaniasis; Immunity; Infection; Vertebrata; Experimental disease; Mammalia; Mouse; Animal; T-Lymphocyte; Rhizoflagellata; Leishmania major
• ISSN: 0022-1899; 1537-6613
• DOI: 10.1093/infdis/171.5.1302

Class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-deficient (H-2b) mice do not express I-A or I-E molecules and, as a result, do not develop CD4 cells. Thus, they represent the ideal model for examining the importance of CD4 cells and MHC class II molecules in resistance to infection with Leishmania major and the capacity of MHC class I-restricted T cells to mediate resistance to L. major. Class II MHC-deficient mice and control (C57BL/6, normal and nude) mice were infected with L. major. Although MHC class II-deficient mice were able to control infection more effectively than nude mice, cutaneous lesions on the mice eventually progressed, and parasite replication became uncontrolled. These results suggest that CD4 cells and MHC class II molecules are essential for resistance to L. major and that in the absence of these cells and molecules, such mice can transiently control infection with L. major but are unable to resolve such infections.