[PDF][PDF] IL-12-deficient mice are defective in IFNγ production and type 1 cytokine responses

J Magram, SE Connaughton, RR Warrier, DM Carvajal… - Immunity, 1996 - cell.com
J Magram, SE Connaughton, RR Warrier, DM Carvajal, C Wu, J Ferrante, C Stewart…
Immunity, 1996cell.com
IL-12 is a cytokine that can exert regulatory effects on T and NK cells and promote Th1
responses. To delineate further the physiologic role of IL-12 in immunity, mice deficient for
this cytokine were generated. IL-12-deficient mice were impaired but not completely lacking
in the ability to produce IFNγ following endotoxin administration and to mount a Th1
response in vivo, as measured by antigen-induced IFNγ secretion by immune lymph node
cells in vitro. In contrast, secretion of IL-4 was enhanced, while proliferation and secretion of …
Abstract
IL-12 is a cytokine that can exert regulatory effects on T and NK cells and promote Th1 responses. To delineate further the physiologic role of IL-12 in immunity, mice deficient for this cytokine were generated. IL-12-deficient mice were impaired but not completely lacking in the ability to produce IFNγ following endotoxin administration and to mount a Th1 response in vivo, as measured by antigen-induced IFNγ secretion by immune lymph node cells in vitro. In contrast, secretion of IL-4 was enhanced, while proliferation and secretion of IL-2 and IL-10 were normal following antigen stimulation. DTH responses were significantly reduced in IL-12-deficient mice, but no defect in allogeneic CTL responses was observed. These results indicate that IL-12 plays an essential role in regulating IFNγ production and in facilitating normal DTH responses. However, other phenomena associated with Th1 responses and cell-mediated immunity, i.e., IL-2 secretion and CTL generation, were not compromised in the absence of IL-12.
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