Interleukin-6 production in Mycobacterium bovis BCG-infected mice.
Mycobacterium bovis BCG and its subcellular components (bacterial extract, culture filtrate, purified protein derivative, and muramyl dipeptide MDP) are potent in vitro IL-6 inducers in spleen cell cultures from uninfected and BCG-infected BALB/c mice. Both plastic adherent and nonadherent spleen cells are capable of producing IL-6. Athymic nude mice produce more IL-6 than euthymic mice, suggesting that monocyte/macrophages are the main IL-6-producing cells in response to BCG. Finally, IL-6 production seems to be controlled to some extent by T lymphocytes, as down-regulation of CD4+ cells resulted in a marked increase in IL-6 production. Interferon-gamma does not seem to be involved in this regulation.
Instituut Pasteur van Brabant, Department Virology, Brussels, Belgium.
K
K
Huygen
P
P
Vandenbussche
H
H
Heremans
D000818:Animals; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D015536:Down-Regulation; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000276:immunology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D014373:Tuberculin / Q000276:immunology; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*
D015704:CD4 Antigens; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014373:Tuberculin; D007371:Interferon-gamma