title: Reduced severity of HSV-1-induced corneal scarring in IL-12-deficient mice.
abstract: Evidence suggests that in BALB/c mice infected with HSV-1, increased corneal scarring correlated with the presence of IL-12p40 mRNA in the cornea. To determine if this observed correlation reflected function, we have utilized mice with a homologous disruption of the gene encoding either the IL-12p35 subunit or the IL-12p40 subunit of IL-12. The severity of corneal scarring following ocular infection with HSV-1 was reduced significantly in nai;ve IL-12p35- and IL-12p40-deficient mice compared with nai;ve BALB/c mice, with the corneal scarring being low grade in the IL-12p35-deficient mice and completely absent in the IL-12p40-deficient mice. The reduction in the corneal scarring could not be attributed to a reduction in the HSV-1 titers in the eyes, which were not significantly different from the BALB/c mice, or to differences in the production of T(H)1 responses (IL-2 and IFN-gamma production) by the infected mice. Taken together, these results suggest the importance of IL-12 in the induction of corneal scarring in HSV-1-infected mice.
authors.affiliation: Cedars Sinai Medical Center, CSMC Burns and Allen Research Institute, Davis Bldg, D2024, 8700 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA.
authors.forename: Yanira
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Osorio
authors.forename: Steven L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Wechsler
authors.forename: Anthony B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Nesburn
authors.forename: Homayon
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ghiasi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001762:Blepharitis / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000821:virology; D003315:Cornea / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics; D016849:Keratitis, Herpetic / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011817:Rabbits; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D018664:Interleukin-12