title: IL-12p40 gene-deficient BALB/c mice exhibit lower weight loss, reduced lung pathology and decreased sensitization to allergen in response to infection with pneumonia virus of mice.
abstract: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in infants and pneumonia virus of mice (PVM) causes similar disease. BALB/c mice are highly susceptible, while C57BL/6 mice are more resistant to PVM. IL-12 was significantly more up-regulated in response to PVM infection in BALB/c than in C57BL/6 mice. IL-12p40-deficient neonatal and adult BALB/c mice showed significantly less weight loss than wild-type mice after PVM challenge. The percentage of regulatory T cells, as well as IFN-β and IL-18 expression, was higher in the lungs of both neonatal and adult IL-12p40-/- mice. Adult IL-12p40-/- mice also showed enhanced TGF-β and IL-10 expression and reduced inflammatory responses. Furthermore, IL-12p40-/- mice showed decreased sensitization to inhaled cockroach antigen after PVM infection when compared to wild-type mice. In conclusion, these data suggest that a depressed regulatory capacity in BALB/c mice to PVM infection results in enhanced immunopathology and sensitization to allergen.
authors.affiliation: VIDO-InterVac, University of Saskatchewan, 120 Veterinary Road, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada S7N 5E3.
authors.forename: Pratima
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shrivastava
authors.affiliation: VIDO-InterVac, University of Saskatchewan, 120 Veterinary Road, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada S7N 5E3; Microbiology and Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, 107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada S7N 5E5.
authors.forename: Indranil
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sarkar
authors.affiliation: VIDO-InterVac, University of Saskatchewan, 120 Veterinary Road, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada S7N 5E3; Microbiology and Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, 107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada S7N 5E5.
authors.forename: Ethel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Atanley
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Pathology, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada S7N 5B4.
authors.forename: Susantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gomis
authors.affiliation: VIDO-InterVac, University of Saskatchewan, 120 Veterinary Road, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada S7N 5E3; Microbiology and Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, 107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada S7N 5E5. Electronic address: sylvia.vandenhurk@usask.ca.
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: van Drunen Littel-van den Hurk
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D015870:Gene Expression; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D053762:Interleukin-12 Subunit p40 / Q000172:deficiency*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D029122:Murine pneumonia virus / Q000276:immunology*; D011024:Pneumonia, Viral / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015431:Weight Loss
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D053762:Interleukin-12 Subunit p40
keywords: Allergen; BALB/c; IL-12p40-/-; Pneumonia virus of mice; Regulatory T cells