Abstract: In the present study, IL-2 mRNA levels was observed on the spleen cells of mice infected with Schistosoma japonicum by RT-PCR in order to find out how relevant the dynamics of the gene expression of the cytokines to granulomatous inflammation. It was found that the expression of IL-2 could not be detected in SEA or ConA treated spleen cells from both uninfected and 3 week infected mice. IL-2 mRNA could be found obviously expressed at 5 week infection, significantly increased at 8 week infection, However, neither 10 and 12 infected mice indicating the modulated expression of mRNA of the cytokine. The observation revealed that the dynamic of IL-2 gene expression paralleled to the granuloma formation and modulation in S. japonicum infected BALB/c mice and that IL-2 may play an important role in the modulation of granuloma formation in schistosomiasis japonica .

Key words: Schistosoma japonicum, soluble egg antigen, Interleukin-2, RT-PCR