Immunology Research Lab, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.
Parasitol Res. 2013 Jan;112(1):135-40. doi: 10.1007/s00436-012-3116-2. Epub 2012 Sep 20.
This work aimed to determine the effect of resiquimod (R848), a low molecular weight imidazoquinolinamine compound with properties as immune response modifiers, on cytokine production in patients infected with Schistosoma mansoni with various degrees of hepatic fibrosis. Schistosoma-infected patients were classified into four groups according to the degree of hepatic fibrosis as examined by ultrasonography group 0 (no fibrosis), group I (incipient fibrosis), group II (moderate fibrosis), and group III (severe fibrosis). Levels of interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin 4 (IL-4), IL-10, and IL-13 were measured by ELISA in the supernatants of cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in response to schistosoma egg soluble antigen (SEA) in the presence and absence of R848. R848 induced a significantly higher level of IL-10 in supernatants of SEA-stimulated PBMC of patients in all groups of hepatic fibrosis except group III. Moreover, we significantly found higher levels of IFN-γ in group 0 and group I and significantly lower level of IL-4 in group 0 after R848 stimulation. However, R848 had no effect on IL-13. Taken together, these results suggest that R848 might be used as an immunopotentiating agent in view of novel therapy or vaccine for S. mansoni infection.
本研究旨在探讨瑞喹莫德（R848）对不同程度肝纤维化曼氏血吸虫感染患者细胞因子产生的影响。瑞喹莫德是一种低分子量咪唑并喹啉胺化合物，具有免疫反应调节剂的特性。根据超声检查结果，将曼氏血吸虫感染患者分为 4 组：0 组（无纤维化）、I 组（早期纤维化）、II 组（中度纤维化）和 III 组（重度纤维化）。采用 ELISA 法检测 SEA 刺激 PBMC 培养上清液中 IFN-γ、IL-4、IL-10 和 IL-13 的水平，同时观察 R848 对其的影响。结果发现，除 III 组外，各组肝纤维化患者 SEA 刺激 PBMC 培养上清液中 IL-10 水平均显著升高，且 R848 可诱导升高；0 组和 I 组 IFN-γ水平显著升高，0 组 IL-4 水平显著降低。然而，R848 对 IL-13 无影响。这些结果表明，R848 可能作为一种免疫增强剂，用于曼氏血吸虫感染的新型治疗或疫苗。
