Background Interactions between alcohol, infection, and surgery and their effect on differentiation and functionality of T helper cells are not yet completely understood. We hypothesized that alcohol and surgery disturb differentiation of T helper cells and contribute to an impaired immune response. Methods Mice were treated with alcohol for two weeks. Saline treatment served as control. Clin...

The outcome of murine infection with Leishmania major is regulated by major histocompatibility complex class II-restricted T helper cells. Invariant chain-deficient (Ii -/-) mice have impaired ability to present major histocompatibility complex class II-restricted antigens, and reduced numbers of CD4+ T cells. Despite these deficits, C57BL/6 Ii -/- mice controlled L. major infection comparably ...