Downregulation of selected cytokines in amebiasis.

A 220-kDa E. histolytica lectin is capable of downregulating some inflammatory cytokines (IL-5, IL-6, INF-gamma and TNF-alpha) and thus of inducing an overall anti-inflammatory Th-phenotype in leucocytes of selected, perhaps constitutionally predisposed, individuals irrespective of their HLA-DR3 profile (i.e., in this study patients long recovered from amebic abscess of the liver). This probably inhibited cytokine response pattern could increase the risk for developing amebic abscess of the liver in the course of invasive intestinal amebiasis.