title: IL-12 administration accelerates autoimmune diabetes in both wild-type and IFN-gamma-deficient nonobese diabetic mice, revealing pathogenic and protective effects of IL-12-induced IFN-gamma.
abstract: IL-12 administration to nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice induces IFN-gamma-secreting type 1 T cells and high circulating IFN-gamma levels and accelerates insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). Here we show that IL-12-induced IFN-gamma production is dispensable for diabetes acceleration, because exogenous IL-12 could enhance IDDM development in IFN-gamma-deficient as well as in IFN-gamma-sufficient NOD mice. Both in IFN-gamma(+/-) and IFN-gamma(-/-) NOD mice, IL-12 administration generates a massive and destructive insulitis characterized by T cells, macrophages, and CD11c(+) dendritic cells, and increases the number of pancreatic CD4(+) cells secreting IL-2 and TNF-alpha. Surprisingly, IL-12-induced IFN-gamma hinders pancreatic B cell infiltration and inhibits the capacity of APCs to activate T cells. Although pancreatic CD4(+) T cells from IL-12-treated IFN-gamma(-/-) mice fail to up-regulate the P-selectin ligand, suggesting that their entry into the pancreas may be impaired, T cell expansion is favored in these mice compared with IL-12-treated IFN-gamma(+/-) mice because IL-12 administration in the absence of IFN-gamma leads to enhanced cell proliferation and reduced T cell apoptosis. NO, an effector molecule in beta cell destruction, is produced ex vivo in high quantity by pancreas-infiltrating cells through a mechanism involving IL-12-induced IFN-gamma. Conversely, in IL-12-treated IFN-gamma-deficient mice, other pathways of beta cell death appear to be increased, as indicated by the up-regulated expression of Fas ligand on Th1 cells in the absence of IFN-gamma. These data demonstrate that IFN-gamma has a dual role, pathogenic and protective, in IDDM development, and its deletion allows IL-12 to establish alternative pathways leading to diabetes acceleration.
authors.affiliation: BioXell, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Trembleau
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Penna
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gregori
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Giarratana
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Adorini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D005260:Female; D006131:Growth Inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008024:Ligands; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D016688:Mice, Inbred NOD; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D022423:Myeloid Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis; D019007:P-Selectin / Q000378:metabolism; D010179:Pancreas / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; C505658:Fasl protein, mouse; D006131:Growth Inhibitors; D008024:Ligands; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D019007:P-Selectin; C084882:P-selectin ligand protein; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D018664:Interleukin-12; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D007371:Interferon-gamma