[Local expression of interleukin-12 mRNA in grafted skin in rats].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the immunological modulating effects of IL-12 in local tissue of grafted skin.


METHODS
The rats grafted with intermingled (allo-auto), allo and auto skins were employed as the model. The expression of IL-12 (P35, P40) mRNA in local tissue cells of grafted skin was determined at different time points.


RESULTS
There was evident difference (P < 0.05) of the expression of IL-12 (P35) mRNA between the rats in allo grafting and auto grafting groups. There existed obvious differences of the expression between all the values in every time points in rats of intermingled grafting group except for that in 14 PBD (P < 0.05). There were significant differences of the expressions between the rats in intermingled and auto grafting groups at 4, 7, 14 and 21PBDs (P < 0.05). There were marked differences of the expression of IL-12 (P40) mRNA between the rats in allo and auto grafting groups before 21 PBD (P < 0.05). When compared with that in the rats of intermingled grafting group, the expression in allo grafting group was only different at 4 PBD (P < 0.05). There were obvious differences of the expression (P < 0.05) between the rats in intermingled and auto grafting groups on 7, 14 and 21 PBDs. During the rejection process of allo and intermingled grafting, the rule of the expression of IL-12 mRNA was in accordance with clinical observation and pathomorphological dynamic detecting results.


CONCLUSIONS
IL-12 actively played a part in inflammatory reaction and played an important role in the conversion of T helper cell to type I T helper cell (TH1) and in mediating cellular immune process. There might be immunosuppressive effects mediated by type II T helper cell (TH2) cytokines in the intermingled skin grafts.
Li
X
X
Burn Department, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai 200025, P.R. China.
Du
Z
Z
Xu
R
R
D000818:Animals; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism*; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018664:Interleukin-12