Innate Immunity to Amebic Liver Abscess Is Dependent on Gamma Interferon and Nitric Oxide in a Murine Model of Disease

Abstract

Evidence from in vitro studies suggests that gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) and nitric oxide (NO) are important in host defense against the protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica. We used SCID mice with targeted disruption of the IFN-gamma receptor gene and mice with targeted disruption of the gene encoding inducible NO synthase to show that IFN-gamma plays a role in the innate immunity to amebic liver abscess seen in SCID mice while NO is required for control of amebic liver abscess in immunocompetent mice.