Repeated sensitization of mice with microfilariae of Litomosoides sigmodontis induces pulmonary eosinophilia in an IL-33-dependent manner.

Background: Eosinophilia is a hallmark of helminth infections and eosinophils are essential in the protective immune responses against helminths. Nevertheless, the distinct role of eosinophils during parasitic filarial infection, allergy and autoimmune disease-driven pathology is still not sufficiently understood. In this study, we established a mouse model for microfilariae-induced eosinophilic lung disease (ELD), a manifestation caused by eosinophil hyper-responsiveness within the lung.

Impact of high atmospheric carbon dioxide on the biotic stress response of the model cereal species .

Losses due to disease and climate change are among the most important issues currently facing crop production. It is therefore important to establish the impact of climate change, and particularly of high carbon dioxide (hCO), on plant immunity in cereals, which provide 60% of human calories. The aim of this study was to determine if hCO impacts immunity, a model plant for temperate cereals.

The efficacy of the benzimidazoles oxfendazole and flubendazole against is dependent on the adaptive and innate immune system.

Filarial nematodes can cause debilitating diseases such as lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis. Oxfendazole (OXF) is one promising macrofilaricidal candidate with improved oral availability compared to flubendazole (FBZ), and OXF is currently under preparation for phase 2 clinical trials in filariasis patients. This study aimed to investigate the immune system's role during treatment with OXF and FBZ and explore the potential to boost the treatment efficacy via stimulation of the immune system.

Unbalanced Arginine pathway and altered maturation of pleural macrophages in Th2-deficient mice during filarial infection.

Filarial parasites are tissue dwelling worms transmitted by hematophagous vectors. Understanding the mechanisms regulating microfilariae (the parasite offspring) development is a prerequisite for controlling transmission in filarial infections. Th2 immune responses are key for building efficient anti-parasite responses but have been shown to also lead to detrimental tissue damage in the presence of microfilariae.