Caspase-12

Molecular group: 
Leucocyte effector mechanisms and proteases
Molecule/Cell: 
Caspase-12
Plasmodium strain: 
Plasmodium chabaudi AS
pRBC infection titer: 
10^6
Mouse genetic background (Con): 
C57BL/6
Level of backcrossing: 
Backcrossed for 9 generations
Experimental treatment group (EG): 
Casp12 -/-
Lethal infection (Con): 
no
Lethal infection (EG): 
no
Pathology (Con): 
N.I.
Pathology (EG): 
N.I.
Parasitemia (EG vs Con): 
Decreased peak and decreased recrudescences
Additional phenotypes (EG vs Con): 
↓ weight loss at the peak of infection; ↑ serum IFN-g 5-7 days p.i., ↑ serum TNF-a and IL-10 6 days p.i. and ↑ serum IL-18 7 days p.i.; similar serum IgG1 and ↑ IgG2a 21 days p.i.; ↑ production of IFN-g, TNF-a, IL-10 and IL-1b by splenocytes after stimulation with pRBCs for 48h; similar liverpathology 10 days p.i. (serum ALT, liver necrosis and inflammation); similar pro-IL-1b mRNA expression in the spleen 6 days p.i.; ↑ caspase-1 activation in BMDMs after stimulation with pRBCs; similar IkBa and ↑Bcl-xl, cox-2 protein in the spleen 7 days p.i.;
Refs: 
Labbé et al., 2010, J Immunol