Fighting Infection From An Unlikely Source

Matthias Mack and co-workers find that basophils detect foreign molecules produced by pathogens. During subsequent infections basophils 'remember' the previous pathogen encounter and then release chemical mediators called interleukin 4 and interleukin 6. These factors help other immune cells called B lymphocytes produce antibodies that attack and destroy the pathogen. Mice with reduced numbers of basophils, for example, are significantly more susceptible to streptococcus infection, which causes meningitis, pneumonia and 'flesh-eating' diseases.

Although previous work had shown the importance of interleukins 4 and 6 for antibody production, the source of these signalling molecules was not heretofore attributed to this least common of the leukocytes -- the basophil.

Author contact:

Matthias Mack (University of Regensburg,Germany)
E-mail: matthias.mack@klinik.uni-regensburg.de

Abstract available online.

(C) Nature Immunology press release.

Message posted by: Trevor M. D'Souza