title: Protection of trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid-induced colitis by an interleukin 2-IgG2b fusion protein in mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We have shown in previous studies that an interleukin 2 (IL-2)-IgG2b fusion protein suppresses both humoral and cellular immune reactions in a murine model of DTH reaction. We now analyze the effects of IL-2-IgG2b in a model of intestinal inflammation in mice induced by the hapten reagent 2,4, 6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) that mimics immunologic characteristics of human Crohn's disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  In TNBS-induced colitis, colonic and splenic T-cell subsets were characterized by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. Cytokine synthesis was studied by semiquantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and intracellular cytokine staining in CD4(+) T cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When mice were treated with IL-2-IgG2b, improvement in both wasting disease and histopathologic signs of colonic inflammation was observed. An increase in the number of colonic CD4(+)/CD25(+) T cells and increased synthesis of the immunosuppressive cytokine IL-10 also occurred. The protective role of IL-10 was demonstrated by the finding that neutralization of IL-10 in vivo using IL-10-specific antibodies inhibited the IL-2-IgG2b effects in TNBS-induced colitis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These studies show for the first time that the IL-2-IgG2b fusion protein can abrogate experimental colitis by local induction of IL-10-secreting T cells.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. inasta@med-rz.uni-sb.de
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stallmach
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wittig
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Giese
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pfister
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bulfone-Paus
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kunzendorf
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Meuer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zeitz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003092:Colitis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003106:Colon / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000235:genetics*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014302:Trinitrobenzenesulfonic Acid
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014302:Trinitrobenzenesulfonic Acid