Xid-associated resistance to experimental Chagas' disease is IFN-gamma dependent

In contrast to normal Balb/c, Balb.Xid immunodeficient mice are naturally resistant to Trypanosoma cruzi infection. Thus, Balb.Xid mice control parasitemia, do not show the characteristic wasting in the acute infection and develop no tissue pathology in the skeletal or cardiac muscles in the chronic phase of disease. By in situ hybridization and semiquantitative polymerase chain reaction, the expression of IL genes in spleen cells from Balb/c and Balb.Xid mice were compared after T. cruzi infection. The results showed that Balb.Xid mice produce considerably higher levels of IFN-gamma, IL-2, and IL-4, but lower levels of IL-10, from as early as 4 days after parasite injection. By day 12 of the infection, although IFN-gamma, IL-2, and IL-4 expression was now comparable in both groups, IL-10 levels continue to be lower in Balb.Xid than in control Balb/c animals. The central role of IFN-gamma in the resistance to T. cruzi was confirmed by treatment of Balb.Xid mice with anti-IFN-gamma antibodies that reestablished susceptibility and lead to increased parasitemia and mortality.