Infection with Leishmania major induces interleukin-12 production in vivo.

Resumo
Experimental infections of mice with the protozoan parasite Leishmania major provide an excellent model for defining the conditions required for generation of CD4 ÷ Thl and Th2 cells in vivo. Since interleukin-12 (IL-12) has been implicated in the development of Thl cells, we investigated whether L. major stimulates IL-12 production in vitro or in vivo. Surprisingly, macrophages cultured in vitro failed to produce IL-12 following L. major infection. In contrast, lymph node cells from C3H mice infected for 2 days with L. major produced elevated levels of IL-12. In order to determine if the inability to stimulate IL-12 production was limited to in vitro infections, we infected macrophages in vivo by inoculating L. major into the peritoneal cavity. Peritoneal cells isolated 24 h later exhibited a significant increase in the number of cells producing IL-12. In addition, supernatants harvested from these cells following culture contained elevated levels of IL-12. These data indicate that L. major infection induces increased IL-12 production in mice.
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VIEIRA, L. Q. et al. Infection with Leishmania major induces interleukin-12 production in vivo. Immunology Letters, v. 40, p. 157-161, 1994. Disponível em: <http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0165247894901872>. Acesso em: 08 nov. 2014.