Does the cell wall skeleton from Bacille Calmette-Guérin directly induce interferon-gamma, independent of interleukin-12?
Interleukin-12 (IL-12), known to be a strong inducer of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), plays a vital role in activating the immune surveillance system against intracellular pathogens and malignant tumors. The authors have found that cancer patients showing marked IFN-gamma induction after inoculation with BCG-CWS (the cell wall skeleton from Bacille Calmette-Guérin) have a good prognosis. The present study was undertaken to determine whether the level of IL-12 is increased prior to, or along with, IFN-gamma induction in the serum of patients inoculated with BCG-CWS. Unexpectedly, we found no detectable amount of IL-12 in the serum throughout the entire time course. This suggests that a novel IFN-gamma inducing factor (IGIF) or another unknown IFN-gamma inducer may be working in place of IL-12 in the BCG-CWS system.
Hayashi
A
A
Division of Cancer Immunotherapy, Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases, Japan.
Noda
A
A
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017358:Cell Wall Skeleton / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007369:Interferon Inducers / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000378:metabolism*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D017358:Cell Wall Skeleton; D007369:Interferon Inducers; D018664:Interleukin-12; D007371:Interferon-gamma