title: Protection of mice from group A streptococcal skin infection by interleukin-12.
abstract: It has been shown that interleukin (IL)-12 induces cell-mediated immunity and provides significant protection against intracellular organisms. The ability of this cytokine to enhance immunity in a mouse model of group A streptococcal skin infection was studied. Outbred CD1 mice were injected for 3 consecutive days with 0.1 microgram of recombinant murine IL-12 before or after challenge with strain 64/14 group A streptococci. In both cases, in vivo IL-12 treatment significantly decreased the rate of death after infection and increased survival over the period of experimental observation. Thus, IL-12 may be useful for treatment of gram-positive bacterial infections. The time course of the experiments suggests that IL-12 is acting in this model system to enhance natural, rather than acquired, immunity.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Microbiology, Medical College of Ohio, Toledo 43699-0008, USA.
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Metzger
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Raeder
authors.forename: V H
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Van Cleave
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Boyle
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D051379:Mice; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D018664:Interleukin-12