The Early IL-4 Response to Leishmania major and the Resulting Th2 Cell Maturation Steering Progressive Disease in BALB/c Mice Are Subject to the Control of Regulatory CD4 super(+)CD25 super(+) T Cells

Susceptibility and development of Th2 cells in BALB/c mice infected with Leishmania major result from early IL-4 production by V[beta]4V[alpha]8 CD4 super(+) T cells in response to the Leishmania homolog of mammalian RACK1 Ag. A role for CD4 super(+)CD25 super(+) regulatory T cells in the control of this early IL-4 production was investigated by depleting in vivo this regulatory T cell population. Depletion induced an increase in the early burst of IL-4 mRNA in the draining lymph nodes of BALB/c mice, and exacerbated the course of disease with higher levels of IL-4 mRNA and protein in their lymph nodes. We further showed that transfer of 10 super(7) BALB/c spleen cells that were depleted of CD4 super(+)CD25 super(+) regulatory T cells rendered SCID mice susceptible to infection and allowed Th2 differentiation while SCID mice reconstituted with 10 super(7) control BALB/c spleen cells were resistant to infection with L. major and developed a Th1 response. Treatment with a mAb against IL-4 upon infection with L. major in SCID mice reconstituted with CD25-depleted spleen cells prevented the development of Th2 polarization and rendered them resistant to infection. These results demonstrate that CD4 super(+)CD25 super(+) regulatory T cells play a role in regulating the early IL-4 mRNA and the subsequent development of a Th2 response in this model of infection.