title: Role of IL-12 in macrophage activation during intracellular infection: IL-12 and mycobacteria synergistically release TNF-alpha and nitric oxide from macrophages via IFN-gamma induction.
abstract: IL-12 is believed to play an important role in cell-mediated immunity against intracellular infection primarily by acting on T and NK cells. Recent evidence has suggested, however, that IL-12 has broader cellular targets than previously thought. In this study, we examined the role of IL-12 in macrophage TNF-alpha and nitric oxide (NO) release by using an in vitro model of intracellular infection. IL-12 alone released relatively little TNF-alpha and NO, whereas live mycobacteria alone released TNF-alpha markedly but little NO from murine alveolar macrophages. However, IL-12 and mycobacteria together enhanced TNF-alpha and NO release synergistically. Because IL-12 and mycobacteria also released IFN-gamma from macrophages synergistically, and exogenous IFN-gamma with mycobacteria enhanced TNF-alpha and NO release synergistically, we examined the role of endogenous IFN-gamma in IL-12/mycobacteria-stimulated macrophage activation. Using macrophages from mice deficient in IFN-gamma, we found that IL-12/mycobacteria-enhanced macrophage TNF-alpha and NO release was mediated through endogenous IFN-gamma. We further demonstrated that IFN-gamma and mycobacteria together had a selective effect on macrophage cytokine release because they released TNF-alpha synergistically but not macrophage chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1). These findings reveal that IL-12 can activate macrophages potently during intracellular infection, and this activating effect is mediated primarily through its effect on macrophage IFN-gamma release.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Centre for Gene Therapeutics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. xingz@fhs.mcmaster.ca
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zganiacz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santosuosso
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D008262:Macrophage Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000502:physiology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D018664:Interleukin-12; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D007371:Interferon-gamma