Intramuscular delivery of mIL-12 gene reduces the expression of CD44/CD49d on pulmonary leucocytes and inhibits ovalbumin-induced airway hyperreactivity.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of murine IL-12 (mIL-12) gene on the expression of CD44 and CD49d on pulmonary leukocytes.


METHODS
BALB/c mice (n = 24) were sensitized to ovalbumin (OVA) by intraperitoneal injection and challenged with OVA aerosol for 7 consecutive days. mIL-12 plasmid was then intramuscularly administered in eight BALB/c mice every second day for three times during OVA challenge.


RESULTS
Administration of mIL-12 plasmid significantly reduced airway hyperreactivity, the expression of CD44 and CD49d on pulmonary leukocytes, pulmonary infiltration of inflammatory cells, Th2 cytokines production and goblet cell hyperplasia (P < 0.05). Importantly, the percentages of CD44+/CD49d+ leucocytes showed positive correlations with numbers of inflammatory cells, goblet cells hyperplasia and levels of IL-4 and IL-5 (P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Our study suggests that CD44 and CD49d might contribute to the preventive effects of mIL-12 gene in asthma.
Li
H
H
Institute of Immunology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China.
Xie
Q
Q
Wang
H
H
Shao
C
C
Chen
W
W
D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000517:prevention & control; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*; D039441:Integrin alpha4 / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000235:genetics*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology
D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D015848:Interleukin-5; D039441:Integrin alpha4; D018664:Interleukin-12; D015847:Interleukin-4; D010047:Ovalbumin