Heinzel F P, Rerko R M, Hujer A M, Maier R A
Division of Geographic Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, and the VA Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA.
Infect Immun. 1998 Sep;66(9):4537-40. doi: 10.1128/IAI.66.9.4537-4540.1998.
Lymph node cells of BALB/c mice with progressive leishmaniasis produced sixfold more interleukin-2 (IL-2) in culture than those of healing C57BL/6 mice. IL-2 synthesis also increased in C57BL/6 mice made susceptible by IL-12 or gamma interferon deficiency. However, IL-2 mRNA levels in vivo did not reflect IL-2 production in vitro. Because IL-2 contributes to the pathogenesis of progressive leishmaniasis, the functional significance of these findings should be further explored.