IL-18 (IFN-gamma-inducing factor) regulates early cytokine production in, and promotes resolution of, bacterial infection in mice.
IL-12-induced IFN-gamma production is essential for clearance of Yersinia enterocolitica infection. Similar to IL-12, the recently described cytokine IL-18 (IFN-gamma-inducing factor) is produced by macrophages and induces IFN-gamma production in spleen cells. Therefore, we have investigated the role of IL-18 in Yersinia infection of mice. Heat-killed yersinia-triggered IL-18- promoted IFN-gamma production of splenocytes was predominantly dependent on endogenous IL-12 production, whereas IL-12-promoted IFN-gamma production was not IL-18 dependent. IL-18- induced IFN-gamma production was to a higher degree dependent on IFN-gammaR- mediated mechanisms and in synergism with IL-2 resulted in at least fivefold higher IFN-gamma levels as compared with the combination of IL-12 plus IL-2. Analysis of the effect of IL-18 on IL-12 production of LPS-stimulated peritoneal macrophages revealed that IL-18 decreased LPS-induced IL-12 production, indicating that IL-18 might be involved in negative regulation of IL-12 production. In vivo studies revealed that Yersinia-resistant C57BL/6 mice expressed fourfold higher IL-18 mRNA levels than did susceptible BALB/c mice. Administration of anti-IL-18 Abs caused a 100- to 1000-fold increase in bacterial counts in the spleen of infected mice but did not change IFN-gamma production levels. Taken together, our data demonstrate that IL-18 is involved in regulation of cytokine production during the early phase of bacterial infections as well as in clearance of Yersinia infection.[1]References
- IL-18 (IFN-gamma-inducing factor) regulates early cytokine production in, and promotes resolution of, bacterial infection in mice. Bohn, E., Sing, A., Zumbihl, R., Bielfeldt, C., Okamura, H., Kurimoto, M., Heesemann, J., Autenrieth, I.B. J. Immunol. (1998) [Pubmed]
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