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Infect. Immun., Apr 1995, 1387-1390, Vol 63, No. 4
Copyright © 1995, American Society for Microbiology

Endogenous interleukin-12 is involved in resistance to Brucella abortus infection

Y Zhan and C Cheers
Department of Microbiology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.

Protective immunity against Brucella abortus is mediated by acquired cellular resistance, with gamma interferon (IFN-gamma)-producing T cells playing a key role. Interleukin-12 (IL-12) is a cytokine that has a profound effect on the induction of IFN-gamma-producing Th1 and NK cells. Here we report that depletion of endogenous IL-12 before infection of mice significantly exacerbated brucella infection. IL-12- depleted mice also had reduced splenomegaly resulting from infection and showed a decrease in percentage and absolute numbers of macrophages compared with those in control infected mice. Furthermore, spleen cells from IL-12-depleted mice had a reduced ability to produce nitrite, a product of activated macrophages. This could be the result of the low production of IFN-gamma by splenic T cells observed in the IL-12- depleted mice. The mechanism whereby IL-12 controls antibacterial resistance is discussed.

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