Selective Expression of the Vβ14 T Cell Receptor on Leishmania guyanensis-Specific CD8+ T Cells during Human Infection

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from subjects never exposed to Leishmania were stimulated with Leishmania guyanensis. We demonstrated that L. guyanensis-stimulated CD8+ T cells produced interferon (IFN)-γ and preferentially expressed the Vb14 T cell receptor (TCR) gene family. In addition, these cells expressed cutaneous lymphocyte antigen and CCR4 surface molecules, suggesting that they could migrate to the skin. Results obtained from the lesions of patients with localized cutaneous leishmaniaisis (LCL) showed that Vβ14 TCR expression was increased in most lesions (63.5%) and that expression of only a small number of Vb gene families (Vβ1, Vβ6, Vβ9, Vβ14, and Vβ24) was increased. The presence of Vβ14 T cells in tissue confirmed the migration of these cells to the lesion site. Thus, we propose the following sequence of events during infection with L. guyanensis. After initial exposure to L. guyanensis, CD8+ T cells preferentially expressing the Vb14 TCR and secreting IFN-γ develop and circulate in the periphery. During the infection, these cells migrate to the skin at the site of the parasitic infection. The role of these Vβ14 CD8+ T cells in resistance to infection remains to be determined conclusivel

T Cell Reactivity against Mycolyl Transferase Antigen 85 of M. tuberculosis in HIV-TB Coinfected Subjects and in AIDS Patients Suffering from Tuberculosis and Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Infections

The mycolyl transferase antigen 85 complex is a major secreted protein family from mycobacterial culture filtrate, demonstrating powerful T cell stimulatory properties in most HIV-negative, tuberculin-positive volunteers with latent M.tuberculosis infection and only weak responses in HIV-negative tuberculosis patients. Here, we have analyzed T cell reactivity against PPD and Ag85 in HIV-infected individuals, without or with clinical symptoms of tuberculosis, and in AIDS patients with disease caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria. Whereas responses to PPD were not significantly different in HIV-negative and HIV-positive tuberculin-positive volunteers, responses to Ag85 were significantly decreased in the HIV-positive (CDC-A and CDC-B) group. Tuberculosis patients demonstrated low T cell reactivity against Ag85, irrespective of HIV infection, and finally AIDS patients suffering from NTM infections were completely nonreactive to Ag85. A one-year follow-up of twelve HIV-positive tuberculin-positive individuals indicated a decreased reactivity against Ag85 in patients developing clinical tuberculosis, highlighting the protective potential of this antigen

In Leishmaniasis due to Leishmania guyanensis infection, distinct intralesional interleukin-10 and foxp3 mRNA expression are associated with unresponsiveness to treatment

The presence of intralesional natural regulatory T cells, characterized by the expression of Foxp3 mRNA, was analyzed in patients with localized leishmaniasis due to Leishmania guyanensis infection that was unresponsive to treatment with pentamidine isethionate. Foxp3 mRNA levels were associated with unresponsiveness to treatment among patients with a lesion duration of ⩾1 month, but this association was not observed among patients with a lesion duration of <1 month. In conclusion, high intralesional expression of Foxp3 might be an indicator of poor response to treatment, depending on the duration of lesion

Le travail à temps partiel féminin et ses déterminants

International audienceDie teilzeitbeschäftigten Frauen stellen keine homogene Population dar. Die einen haben sich dafür entschieden, nicht ganztagig zu arbeiten, während die anderen im Gegenteil gezwungen waren, eine kürzere Arbeitszeit ais die Vollzeitbeschaftigung anzunehmen. Bei denjenigen, die die Teilzeitbeschäftigung gewahlt haben, können zudem verschiedene Gründe ausschlaggebend gewesen sein : Betreuung von Kleinkindern oder eines pflegebedürftigen Elternteils oder Ehepartners, schrittweises Ausscheiden ausdem Arbeitsmarkt, Absolvierung einer Ausbildung usw. Den Zahlen des französischen Teils des europäischen Panels der Privathaushalte ist zu entnehmen, dass in mehr als der Halfte der Falle die erwerbstatigen Frauen die Teilzeitbeschaftigung aus familiaren Gründen gewahlt haben. Bei der Wahl einer Teilzeitbeschäftigung, insbesondere wenn dies der Vereinbarung von Familien-und Berufsleben dient, sind das Arbeitsentgelt des Ehepartners und die Anzahl der zu betreuenden Kinder zwei entscheidende Elemente. Die Wahrscheinlichkeit, dass - sei es aus familiaren oder anderen Gründen -eher eine Teilzeit-als eine Vollzeitbeschäftigung gewahlt wird, ist bei den erwerbstatigen Frauen im Alter von 55 Jahren und darüber sowie bei behinderten Frauen grösser. Bei ansonsten gleichen Merkmalen ist zudem die Wahrscheinlichkeit, dass eine Frau sich für eine Teilzeitbeschäftigung aus familiaren Gründen entscheidet, desto geringer, je höher ihr Arbeitsentgelt ist. Wenn jedoch bei der Wahl der Anzahl Arbeitsstunden kein familiarer Grund ausschlaggebend ist, spielt die Höhe des Stundenlohns anscheinend keine Rolle.Female part-time workers do not constitute a homogeneous population. Whereas some women choose not to work full time, the others have to accept a less than fulltime working week. There can be a number of reasons why the women who choose part-time work do so : to look after young children, care for a dependent parent or spouse, gradually leave the labour market, take a training course, etc. The European Household Panel figures for France show that over half the working women who opt for part-time work do so for family reasons. Two key elements in the decision to work part time, especially when this choice is to find a compromise between work and family life, are the spouse's level of earnings and the number of dependent children. The probability of choosing part-time rather than full-time work, whether for family or other reasons, is also higher for female workers aged 55 and over and for disabled women. Conversely, other things being equal, the higher the woman's wage rate, the lower the probability of choosing part-time over full-time work for family reasons. However, when the decision regarding the number of hours worked is based on reasons other than the family, the hourly wage level does not appear to have any influence.Las mujeres activas a tiempo parcial no son una poblacion homogénea. Las hay que han optadopor no trabajar a tiempo completo, y otras al contrario han tenido que aceptar una duracion laboralinferior al tiempo completo. Ademas, para aquellas que han optado por el tiempo parcial, puedenser muy diversas sus motivaciones : cuidar a los ninos, hacerse cargo de un pariente o de unconyuge dependiente, salirse poco a poco dei mercado laboral, hacer una formacion, etc. Segunlas cifras de la vertiente francesa dei Panel europeo de los hogares, en mas de la mitad de loscasos, las activas optan por el tiempo parcial por motivos familiares. En la opcion dei tiempoparcial, especialmente cuando ésta entra dentro de una 1ogica de conciliacion entre vida familiary vida profesional, el nivel de remuneracion dei conyuge y el numero de hijos a carga son doselementes determinantes. La probabilidad de optar por el tiempo parcial, sea por motivosfamiliares, sea por otros motivos, es también superior para aquellas mujeres activas de mas de 55anos y para aquellas que padecen de una minusvalia. Al contrario, cuanto mas alto es el salariode la mujer, menos probable es la opcion dei tiempo parcial por motivos familiares. En cambio,cuando la decision relativa a la cantidad de horas laborales pertenece a una logica distinta de lafamiliar, el nivel dei salario horario no parece entrar en cuenta.Les actives à temps partiel ne constituent pas une population homogène. Les unes ont fait le choix de ne pas travailler à temps plein ; les autres, au contraire, ont dû accepter un temps de travail inférieur au temps complet. En outre, pour celles qui ont choisi le temps partiel, les motivations peuvent être diverses : garder de jeunes enfants, prendre en charge un parent ou un conjoint dépendant, sortir progressivement du marché du travail, suivre une formation, etc. D'après les chiffres de la partie française du Panel européen de ménages, dans plus de la moitié des cas, c'est pour des raisons d'ordre familial que les actives optent pour le temps partiel. Dans le choix du temps partiel, et, plus particulièrement, lorsque celui-ci s'inscrit dans une logique de conciliation entre vie familiale et vie professionnelle, le niveau de rémunération du conjoint et le nombre d'enfants à charge sont deux éléments déterminants. La probabilité de choisir le temps partiel plutôt que le temps plein, que ce soit pour des raisons d'ordre familial ou pour d'autres raisons, est également plus forte pour les actives âgées de 55 ans ou plus et pour celles qui souffrent d'un handicap. À l'inverse, toutes choses égales par ailleurs, plus le taux de salaire de la femme est élevé, moins le choix de travailler à temps partiel pour des raisons familiales, plutôt qu'à temps complet, est probable. En revanche, lorsque la décision relative au nombre d'heures de travail renvoie à une logique autre que familiale, le niveau du salaire horaire ne semble pas jouer

Interleukin (IL)–13 Is the Predominant Th2 Cytokine in Localized Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Lesions and Renders Specific CD4 + T Cells Unresponsive to IL‐12

International audienceSemiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis of leishmania lesion cytokine profile showed a Th2 cytokine expression pattern, as reflected by interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13 mRNA expression. There was a predominance of IL-13 in most lesions from patients with American localized cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania guyanensis. IL-13 production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells in response to specific leishmania antigens was confirmed in these patients. The absence of the second chain of the IL-12 receptor (IL-12Rbeta2) mRNA expression in lesions and the presence of specific IgE and IgG4 in some serum samples demonstrated the functional role of these Th2 cytokines. IL-13, unlike IL-4, rendered specific T cells unresponsive to IL-12 by inhibiting the expression of the IL-12Rbeta2 chain. These data establish the crucial role of IL-13 in human cutaneous leishmaniasis

High Intralesional Interleukin‐10 Messenger RNA Expression in Localized Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Is Associated with Unresponsiveness to Treatment

International audienceThe intralesional expression of cytokines (interleukin [IL]-4, IL-13, IL-10, and interferon-gamma) was analyzed in 65 patients with localized cutaneous leishmaniasis due to Leishmania guyanensis before specific treatment with pentamidine isethionate. The local expression of IL-10 was significantly higher in patients who responded poorly to treatment than in patients whose lesions were regressing. When an IL-10 level >10 (ratio of the concentration of IL-10 [pg/microL] to that of beta-actin [pg/microL]) was used as an indicator of treatment failure, the sensitivity of this test was 78.6, and the specificity was 72.5. Thus, high intralesional expression of IL-10 might predict a poor response to conventional treatment

LACK-Specific CD4 + T Cells That Induce Gamma Interferon Production in Patients with Localized Cutaneous Leishmaniasis during an Early Stage of Infection

International audienceABSTRACT The profile of cytokines induced by soluble leishmania antigen (SLA) and the Leishmania homologue of the mammalian receptor for activated C kinase (LACK), a candidate vaccine against leishmaniasis, and the cellular source of the cytokines produced in response to these antigens were analyzed in patients infected with Leishmania guyanensis . Gamma interferon (IFN-γ) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) were produced in response to LACK. Although LACK-specific CD4 + cells producing IFN-γ were isolated only during the early phase of infection (less than 30 days following the onset of infection), cells producing IL-10 in response to LACK were detected in all patients. CD4 + T cells producing IFN-γ and IL-13 were produced in response to SLA in all patients. SLA- and LACK-specific T cells are effector memory cells, as they are CD45RA − CCR7 − CD4 + T cells. CD4 + T cells producing IFN-γ are CD62L − , and CD4 + T cells producing IL-10 are CD62L + , indicating that these cells have different tissue-homing capacities. These findings show that SLA and LACK induce both type 1 (IFN-γ) and type 2 (IL-10 or IL-13) cell responses

Th2 Responses Predominate during the Early Phases of Infection in Patients with Localized Cutaneous Leishmaniasis and Precede the Development of Th1 Responses

Intralesional Th2 responses preceded the development of Th1 responses in localized cutaneous leishmaniasis due to Leishmania guyanensis. Although the number of parasites increased in Th2 lesions, no correlation was found between the levels of cytokine expression and the number of parasites. In contrast, the decreased number of parasites in Th1 lesions is negatively correlated to gamma interferon expression