Immunosuppression, interleukin-10 synthesis and apoptosis are induced in rats

CHIAPELLO LS, BARONETTI JL, AOKI MP, GEA S, RUBINSTEIN H, MASIH DT.

IMMUNOLOGY

Año: 2004 p. 392 - 392

0019-2805

lucuronoxylomannan (GXM) is the major Cryptococcus neoformans capsularpolysaccharide and represents the main virulence factor of this fungus. In invitro studies we have demonstrated previously that this acidic andhigh-molecular-weight polysaccharide suppresses lymphoproliferation, modulatescytokine production and promotes apoptosis in spleen mononuclear (Spm) cells fromrats. In this study we demonstrate that these phenomena also occur in vivo after the intracardiac inoculation of GXM into normal Wistar rats. The results of this study show suppression of the proliferative response Spm cells to concanavalin A (Con A) or heat-killed C. neoformans (HKCn) in the first 2 weeks afterpolysaccharide administration. In addition, increased levels of interleukin(IL)-10 were produced by Con A-stimulated Spm cells, coinciding withimmunohistochemical GXM detection in the white pulp of spleen. In particular,high production of IL-