Critical role of endogenous galectin-1 in regulating T helper responses during Yersinia enterocolitica infection

DAVICINO ROBERTO; ELIÇABE JAVIER; DI GENARO SILVIA; RABINOVICH GABRIEL A

Buenos Aires

Congreso; First French - Argentine Immunology Congress, LVIII Reunión Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Inmunología, XIII Jornada Científica del Grupo Rioplatense de Citometría de Flujo, 3º Jornadas Argentinas de Inmunodeficiencias Primarias (SAP); 2010

First FrencSociedad Francesa de Inmunologia/Sociedad Argentina de Inmunología/Grupo Rioplatense de Citometría de Flujo

In spite of considerable advances in elucidating the immunomodulatory functions of galectin-1 in limiting Th1 and Th17 responses in autoimmune settings, the role of this endogenous lectin in microbial infection has not yet been examined. Given that Yersinia enterocolitica, a Gram-negative bacteria evokes Th1-producing IFN-γ immune response, we conducted this study to investigate the absence of endogenous galectin-1 in the development of immunity against this pathogen. We used C57BL/6 wild-type (WT) and Gal-1 knockout (Lgals1-/-) mice which were orogastrically infected with Y. enterocolitica O:8. Survival was compared in both infected mouse groups. On days 5, 14 and 21 after infection, mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), spleen (Sp) and Peyer´s patches (PP) were aseptically obtained, and in their homogenates, colony forming units (CFU) were counted. In addition, we determined concentrations of IL-17 and IFN-γ in PP and serum by ELISA. To elucidate their immunoregulatory effects, spleen cells from Lgals1-/- mice were adoptively transferred into WT mice; then, these recipient mice were challenged with Y. enterocolitica, and CFU in organs, IL-17 and IFN-γ in PP and serum at 5 days after infection were determined. Higher survival rate was observed in Lgals1-/- compared WT mice (63 % vs 37 %). Furthermore, less CFU in PP after 5 and 14 d after infection of Lgals1-/- mice (p