First Author | Becher B | Year | 2002 |
Journal | J Clin Invest | Volume | 110 |
Issue | 4 | Pages | 493-7 |
PubMed ID | 12189243 | Mgi Jnum | J:78574 |
Mgi Id | MGI:2385412 | Doi | 10.1172/JCI15751 |
Citation | Becher B, et al. (2002) Experimental autoimmune encephalitis and inflammation in the absence of interleukin-12. J Clin Invest 110(4):493-7 |
abstractText | IL-12 is considered a critical proinflammatory cytokine for autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and its animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). IL-12 is a heterodimer composed of a p35 subunit and a common p40 subunit shared by other cytokines. Both IL-12 p40(-/-) and p35(-/-) mice fail to produce IL-12 p70 heterodimer. However, in contrast to p40(-/-) mice, p35(-/-) mice are highly susceptible to the induction of EAE, establishing that IL-12 p70 is not essential for the development of EAE. When compared with wild-type mice, both p40(-/-) and p35(-/-) mice show deficiencies in primary IFN-gamma responses by lymph node cells. Expression profiling of the inflamed CNS revealed that Th2 cytokines such as IL-4 and IL-10 are upregulated in p35(-/-) mice, whereas LT-alpha and TNF-alpha levels are reduced. These studies show that a molecule other than IL-12 p70, which uses the p40 subunit, fulfills the functions previously attributed to IL-12 with regard to the development and pathogenesis of this autoimmune disease. |