| First Author | Rothe H | Year | 1997 |
| Journal | Diabetologia | Volume | 40 |
| Issue | 6 | Pages | 641-6 |
| PubMed ID | 9222642 | Mgi Jnum | J:41570 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:894057 | Doi | 10.1007/s001250050728 |
| Citation | Rothe H, et al. (1997) Suppression of cyclophosphamide induced diabetes development and pancreatic Th1 reactivity in NOD mice treated with the interleukin (IL)-12 antagonist IL-12(p40)2. Diabetologia 40(6):641-6 |
| abstractText | The macrophage product interleukin (IL)-12 is known to drive Th1 reactions in physiological and pathological immune responses. Here we report that treatment with the homodimeric IL-12p40 subunit, an antagonist of the bioactive IL-12p35/p40 heterodimer, suppresses diabetes development in cyclophosphamide-injected NOD mice. Female mice of 70 days old received cyclophosphamide (250 mg/kg) to accelerate and synchronize diabetes development, and daily injections of 1 microgram IL-12(p40)2. While there was no delay of the first diabetes cases, the incidence of overt diabetes was significantly decreased in treated mice (46 vs 23%, p < 0.05). Analysis of mRNA expression in the pancreas showed that administration of the IL-12 antagonist had dampened interferon-gamma gene expression, decreased the ratio of interferon-gamma/IL-10 mRNA levels and in parallel suppressed the expression of the inducible nitric oxide synthase. At the same time intra-islet infiltration was significantly decreased (p < 0.001). Interestingly, the administration of IL-12(p40)2 also affected IL-12 gene expression, by downregulation of p35 mRNA. We conclude that IL-12 p40 homodimer suppresses diabetes development in the NOD mouse by dampening islet inflammation via selective down-regulation of Th1 type responses. The naturally occurring IL-12 antagonist IL-12(p40)2 represents a new and specific Th1 directed approach to prevent autoimmune diabetes. |
