Protection against lethal pneumococcal septicemia in pigs is associated with decreased levels of interleukin-6 in blood.
Injection of type 6b pneumococci into pigs results in a sharp rise in levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in blood, with an average peak value of 7,700 U/ml at 4 h and mortality in five of seven of these animals. Pretreatment at -24 h with the monocyte activator MTP-PE prevents this strong increase in IL-6 (peak value, 1,000 U/ml) and reduces mortality to zero of six animals. This suggests that MTP-PE, in addition to activating monocytes, protects animals by preventing the harmful increase of cytokines such as IL-6.
Ziegler-Heitbrock
H W
HW
Institute for Immunology, Munich, Germany.
Passlick
B
B
Käfferlein
E
E
Coulie
P G
PG
Izbicki
J R
JR
D000119:Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D008081:Liposomes; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010714:Phosphatidylethanolamines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013552:Swine
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008081:Liposomes; D010714:Phosphatidylethanolamines; C037144:mifamurtide; D000119:Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine