Dynamics of gut mucosal and systemic Th1/Th2 cytokine responses in interferon-gamma and interleukin-12p40 knock out mice during primary and challenge Cryptosporidium parvum infection.

Cryptosporidium parvum is an intracellular parasite causing enteritis which can become life-threatening in the immunocompromised host. CD4+ T cells and interferon (IFN)-gamma play dominant roles in host immune response to infection. However, effector mechanisms that are responsible for recovery from infection are poorly understood. In the present study we analyzed mice deficient in IFN-gamma or interleukin (IL)-12 in parallel to C57BL/6 wild type mice as models for murine cryptosporidiosis. Our results identified IFN-gamma as the key cytokine in the innate as well as adaptive immunity during primary and also challenge C. parvum infection. Furthermore, both Th1 and Th2 cytokines appear to co…