title: Intracellular antimicrobial activity in the absence of interferon-gamma: effect of interleukin-12 in experimental visceral leishmaniasis in interferon-gamma gene-disrupted mice.
abstract: Despite permitting uncontrolled intracellular visceral infection for 8 wk, interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) gene knockout (GKO) mice infected with Leishmania donovani proceeded to reduce liver parasite burdens by 50% by week 12. This late-developing IFN-gamma-independent antileishmanial mechanism appeared to be dependent largely on endogenous tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha): L. donovani infection induced TNF-alpha mRNA expression in parasitized GKO livers and neutralization of TNF-alpha reversed control at week 12.7 d of treatment of infected GKO mice with interleukin-12 (IL-12) readily induced leishmanicidal activity and also partially restored the near-absent tissue granulomatous response, observations that for the first time expand the antimicrobial repertoire of IL-12 to include IFN-gamma-independent effects. The action of IL-12 against L. donovani was TNF-alpha dependent and required the activity of inducible nitric oxide synthase. These results point to the presence of an IFN-gamma-independent antimicrobial mechanism, mediated by TNF-alpha, which remains quiescent until activated late in the course of experimental visceral leishmaniasis. However, as judged by the effect of exogenous IL-12 this quiescent mechanism can readily be induced to rapidly yield enhanced intracellular antimicrobial activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Cornell University Medical College, New York 10021, USA.
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Murray
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006099:Granuloma / Q000469:parasitology; D006146:Guanidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000276:immunology*; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D006146:Guanidines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D018664:Interleukin-12; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; C004479:pimagedine