Microbial products induce autoimmune disease by an IL-12-dependent pathway.
The development and exacerbation of autoimmune diseases are associated with antecedent infectious illness. Microbial products such as LPS, bacterial DNA, or oligonucleotides containing an unmethylated cytosine-guanine dinucleotide have cytokine modulating properties. These products converted quiescent myelin basic protein-specific T cells into effector cells capable of transferring experimental allergic encephalomyelitis. The disease-promoting properties of the microbial products were solely dependent on their capacity to induce the production of IL-12.
Segal
B M
BM
Laboratory of Immunology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
Klinman
D M
DM
Shevach
E M
EM
D000818:Animals; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000276:immunology*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*
D001324:Autoantigens; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein; D018664:Interleukin-12