title: Production of interleukin-12 by murine macrophages in response to bacterial peptidoglycan.
abstract: Peptidoglycan (PG), a component of the bacterial cell wall, has various immunomodulating activities, including the capacity to induce delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions to antigens administered in Freund's adjuvant. We report that PG induces interleukin-12 (IL-12) mRNA production and IL-12 secretion by mouse macrophages. The capacity of PG to induce IL-12 production, like its previously reported immunomodulating activities, was dependent on the structure of its peptide subunit. PG from Bacillus megaterium and Staphylococcus aureus induced IL-12 production, whereas PG from Micrococcus luteus and Corynebacterium poinsettiae did not. The ability of most bacterial PGs to induce IL-12 production suggests that they play an important role in triggering host defense mechanisms against bacterial infections.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Microbiologie, Faculté de Médecine de Paris-Ouest, 92380 Garches, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lawrence
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nauciel
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D001410:Bacillus megaterium / Q000276:immunology; D002460:Cell Line; D003352:Corynebacterium / Q000276:immunology; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D016982:Micrococcus luteus / Q000276:immunology; D010457:Peptidoglycan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013045:Species Specificity; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D010457:Peptidoglycan; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018664:Interleukin-12