IL-12 promotes enhanced recovery from vesicular stomatitis virus infection of the central nervous system.
To investigate the role of a cytokine in host defense against the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) infection of the central nervous system (CNS), IL-12 was injected i.p. into groups of 10 BALB/c mice on days -1, 0, 1, 2, and 3 postinfection. Four days postinfection, mice were examined. IL-12 strongly enhanced immunity to VSV infection in the CNS as demonstrated by 1) decreased VSV titers in brain homogenate of IL-12-injected mice compared with those of controls; 2) increased expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase in the CNS; 3) enhanced expression of both MHC class I and class II Ags in the CNS; 4) increased T cell infiltration in the CNS, especially in the olfactory bulb; and 5) diminished VSV-induced apoptosis in olfactory bulb. No detrimental effect was observed even with the 200 ng/mouse dose of IL-12. Protective effects of IL-12 were dose dependent. Collectively, these results demonstrate that exogenously added IL-12, even when injected peripherally, significantly enhances recovery from VSV infection of the CNS.
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D006183:H-2 Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000276:immunology; D018353:Rhabdoviridae Infections / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014721:Vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D006183:H-2 Antigens; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D018664:Interleukin-12; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase