The Immune Change Of BALB/C Mice Infected With Penicillium Marneffei:Th1/th2 Transcription Factors And Inflammatory Cytokines Were Measured

Objective To explore the expression of transcription factors T-bet/GATA-3 and inflammatory cytokines in BALB/C mice which were infected by the Penicillium marneffei through respiratory tract,and the immune response type against Penicilliosis marneffei was identified.Methods Twenty-four female BALB/C mice were randomly divided into a control group and an experimental group.P.marneffei produce a large number of conidia which were prepared as suspension at the concentrtion of 5×107 CFU(colony-forming-units,CFU)/ml,and 50ul suspension was dripped into the nose of mice which were narcotized with diethyl ether.After 14 days the mice were executed,the lung tissue was taken to fungal culture and the histopathological changes were examined after hematoxylin-eosin(HE)and periodic acid-Schiff(PAS)stain.The concentration of interteron-y(IFN-y),interleukin-12(IL-12),IL-4,IL-10,IgGl and IgG2a in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF)and serum were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).The mRNA and protein expression of T-bet and GATA-3 in the lungs were detected by realtime fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR)and Western blot respectively.Resuilts The lung tissue of all the 12 experimental group mice were cultured on the PDA medium and growed P.marneffei after 7-10 days with the microscopic observation.The main histopathology was suppurative inflammation surrounding the small tracheal lumen,and some fuchsia conidia were phagocytised by the macrophages.Serum and BALF levels of IFN-?,IL-12 and IgG2a in experimental group were increased.The IFN-?,IL-12 and IgG2a levels were significantly higher than those in healthy control group(P<0.05).The IL-4,IL-10 and IgG1 levels were significantly reduced in the experimental group as compared with that in healthy control group(P<0.05).The mRNA and protein relative expression level of T-bet was significantly higher than those in healthy control group(P<0.01),on the contrary,the relative expression level of GATA-3 was significantly reduced in experimental group as compared with healthy control group(P<0.01).Conclusion(1)The immunocompetent BALB/C mice could be infected with dripping through the respiratory tract;(2)The Thl/Th2 immune imbalance may play a vital role in process of Penicilliosis marneffei.