IL-18 deficiency inhibits both Th1 and Th2 cytokine production but not the clinical symptoms in experimental autoimmune neuritis.
IL-18 deficient (IL-18-/-) mice were used to investigate the role of IL-18 in the pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune neuritis (EAN) which was induced by immunization of the mice with P0 protein peptide 180-199. The clinical course was not different between IL-18-/- and wild-type mice. The splenic mononuclear cell (MNC) proliferation was also similar in both animal groups. However, the percentages of IFN-gamma, IL-10 and IL-12 positive cells were decreased among infiltrating MNC of cauda equine in IL-18-/- mice. This indicates that IL-18 deficiency inhibits the production of both Th1 and Th2 cytokines in the target organ of mice with EAN.
Duan
Rui-Sheng
RS
Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
Zhang
Xing-Mei
XM
Mix
Eilhard
E
Quezada
Hernan Concha
HC
Adem
Abdu
A
Zhu
Jie
J
D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000172:deficiency*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D018993:Myelin P0 Protein; D009444:Neuritis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors
D016207:Cytokines; D020382:Interleukin-18; D018993:Myelin P0 Protein