Université de Fribourg

Antibodies and IL-3 support helminth-induced basophil expansion

Herbst, Tina ; Esser, Julia ; Prati, Moira ; Kulagin, Manuel ; Stettler, Rebecca ; Zaiss, Mario M. ; Hewitson, James P. ; Merky, Patrick ; Verbeek, Joseph S. ; Bourquin, Carole ; Camberis, Mali ; Prout, Melanie ; Maizels, Rick M. ; Gros, Graham Le ; Harris, Nicola L.

In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2012, vol. 109, no. 37, p. 14954-14959

Basophils are powerful mediators of Th2 immunity and are present in increased numbers during allergic inflammation and helminth infection. Despite their ability to potentiate Th2 immunity the mechanisms regulating basophil development remain largely unknown. We have found a unique role for isotype-switched antibodies in promoting helminth-induced basophil production following infection of mice...