%A Solaymani-Mohammadi,Shahram %A Eckmann,Lars %A Singer,Steven M. %D 2019 %J Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology %C %F %G English %K Interleukin (IL)-21,parasite,Inflammation,Immunity,cytokine,signaling %Q %R 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00401 %W %L %M %P %7 %8 2019-December-04 %9 Review %# %! IL-21 in Parasitic Diseases %* %< %T Interleukin (IL)-21 in Inflammation and Immunity During Parasitic Diseases %U https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2019.00401 %V 9 %0 JOURNAL ARTICLE %@ 2235-2988 %X Parasitic diseases cause significant morbidity and mortality in the developing and underdeveloped countries. No efficacious vaccines are available against most parasitic diseases and there is a critical need for developing novel vaccine strategies for care. IL-21 is a pleiotropic cytokine whose functions in protection and immunopathology during parasitic diseases have been explored in limited ways. IL-21 and its cognate receptor, IL-21R, are highly expressed in parasitized organs of infected humans as well in murine models of the human parasitic diseases. Prior studies have indicated the ability of the IL-21/IL-21R signaling axis to regulate the effector functions (e.g., cytokine production) of T cell subsets by enhancing the expression of T-bet and STAT4 in human T cells, resulting in an augmented production of IFN-γ. Mice deficient for either IL-21 (Il21−/−) or IL-21R (Il21r−/−) showed significantly reduced inflammatory responses following parasitic infections as compared with their WT counterparts. Targeting the IL-21/IL-21R signaling axis may provide a novel approach for the development of new therapeutic agents for the prevention of parasite-induced immunopathology and tissue destruction.