Hepatic cellular immune responses in mice with “cure” and “non-cure” phenotype toLeishmania infantuminfection: importance of CD8+T cells and TGF-β production

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Abstract
The objective of this study was to analyse hepatic cellular immune response of mice with “cure” and “non-cure” phenotypes to Leishmania infantum infection. During infection establishment, elevated TGF-β levels and absence of a Th1 response may have contributed to parasite multiplication and to similar hepatic parasitic loads. Later in infection, an increase in the number and activation levels of CD8+ cells was observed simultaneously with parasite elimination, but only significant in “cure” strain. During this recovering phase, “non-cure” animals showed low Th2 cytokine levels, while TGF-β production was higher than in “cure” mice. These results point out to a role for CD8+ T cells in liver acquired immune response and to TGF-β regulation of “cure” and “non-cure” phenotype to L. infantum infection.