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Original Article |
Correspondence to: Ken Shortman, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Post Office Royal Melbourne Hospital, Victoria 3050, Australia. Tel:61-3-9345-2531 Fax:61-3-9347-0852 E-mail:shortman{at}wehi.edu.au.
Interleukin (IL)-12 may be secreted as a bioactive T helper type 1 (Th1) cellinducing heterodimer, as a monomer, or as an antagonistic homodimer. We analyzed the IL-12 produced by mouse splenic dendritic cells (DCs), human thymic DCs, and cultured human monocyte-derived DCs. IL-12 production required both a microbial or T cellderived stimulus and an appropriate cytokine milieu. The different IL-12 forms were differentially regulated by the cytokines present rather than the stimulus used. IL-4 alone or together with granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor or interferon
effectively enhanced the production of the bioactive heterodimer and selectively reduced the antagonistic homodimer of IL-12. Therefore, IL-4, the major Th2-driving cytokine, provides a negative feedback causing DCs to produce the major Th1-inducing cytokine, bioactive IL-12.
Key Words:
granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor, homodimeric interleukin 12, T helper type 1, T helper type 2, interferon
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