Recombinant interleukin-12 suppresses the synthesis of immunoglobulin E by interleukin-4 stimulated human lymphocytes.
Interleukin-12 is a recently discovered lymphokine displaying an array of in vitro activities suggesting a major role in protective immunity against infectious agents like viruses. This study provides evidence that IL-12 may also be implicated in the selection of the immunoglobulin isotypes. We show that picomolar concentrations of rIL-12 markedly inhibit the synthesis of IgE by IL-4-stimulated PBMC. The suppression of IgE is observed at the protein and at the mRNA levels, it is isotype specific, and it is abolished by neutralizing anti-IL-12 mAbs. IL-12 may suppress IgE synthesis by: (a) inducing the production of IFN-gamma, a known inhibitor of IgE synthesis and (b) by a novel mechanism which is IFN-gamma independent. The best evidence for this is from studies on IgE synthesis by IL-4-plus hydrocortisone-stimulated umbilical cord blood lymphocytes, which do not produce detectable amounts of IFN-gamma. In such cultures, rIL-12 inhibits IgE synthesis even in the presence of a large excess of neutralizing anti-IFN-gamma mAb.
University of Montreal, Notre-Dame Hospital Research Center, Quebec, Canada.
M
M
Kiniwa
M
M
Gately
U
U
Gubler
R
R
Chizzonite
C
C
Fargeas
G
G
Delespesse
D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018664:Interleukin-12; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007378:Interleukins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology
D007378:Interleukins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D018664:Interleukin-12; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D007371:Interferon-gamma