ST2 Deficiency Does Not Impair Type 2 Immune Responses during Chronic Filarial Infection but Leads to an Increased Microfilaremia Due to an Impaired Splenic Microfilarial Clearance

Abstract

Our findings suggest that the absence of ST2 does not impair the establishment of adult L. sigmodontis worms, but is important for the splenic clearance of microfilariae from peripheral blood. Thus, ST2 interactions may be important for therapies that intend to block the transmission of filarial disease.