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Infection and Immunity, November 1998, p. 5157-5166, Vol. 66, No. 11
Immunobiology Section, Laboratory of
Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious
Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
20892-04251;
Veterinary and Tumor
Pathology Section,
Received 23 June 1998/Accepted 11 August 1998
Mice rendered deficient in interleukin-10 (IL-10) by gene targeting
(IL-10
0019-9567/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Helicobacter hepaticus Triggers Colitis
in Specific-Pathogen-Free Interleukin-10 (IL-10)-Deficient Mice through
an IL-12- and Gamma Interferon-Dependent Mechanism
/
mice) develop chronic enterocolitis resembling
human inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) when maintained in conventional
animal facilities. However, they display a minimal and delayed
intestinal inflammatory response when reared under
specific-pathogen-free (SPF) conditions, suggesting the involvement of
a microbial component in pathogenesis. We show here that experimental
infection with a single bacterial agent, Helicobacter
hepaticus, induces chronic colitis in SPF-reared IL-10
/
mice and that the disease is accompanied by a
type 1 cytokine response (gamma interferon [IFN-
], tumor necrosis
factor alpha, and nitric oxide) detected by restimulation of spleen and
mesenteric lymph node cells with a soluble H. hepaticus
antigen (Ag) preparation. In contrast, wild-type (WT) animals infected
with the same bacteria did not develop disease and produced IL-10 as
the dominant cytokine in response to Helicobacter Ag.
Strong H. hepaticus-reactive antibody responses as measured
by Ag-specific total immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgG1, IgG2a, IgG2b, IgG3,
and IgA were observed in both WT and IL-10
/
mice. In
vivo neutralization of IFN-
or IL-12 resulted in a significant
reduction of intestinal inflammation in H. hepaticus-infected IL-10
/
mice, suggesting an
important role for these cytokines in the development of colitis in the
model. Taken together, these microbial reconstitution experiments
formally establish that a defined bacterial agent can serve as the
immunological target in the development of large bowel inflammation in
IL-10
/
mice and argue that in nonimmunocompromised
hosts IL-10 stimulated in response to intestinal flora is important in
preventing IBD.
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: Immunobiology
Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of
Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health,
Building 4, Room 126, 4 Center Dr. MSC 0425, Bethesda, MD 20892-0425. Phone: (301) 496-8218. Fax: (301) 402-0890. E-mail:
MKULLBERG{at}atlas.niaid.nih.gov.
Infection and Immunity, November 1998, p. 5157-5166, Vol. 66, No. 11
0019-9567/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
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