ABSTRACT
The effects of treatment with exogenous interleukin-12 (IL-12) on the induction of immune response to Porphyromonas gingivalis, a black pigmented periodontopathic oral bacterium in mice, were determined in the present study. An increased footpad swelling representing a delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) response to P. gingivalis in IL-12-treated mice could be observed, although increasing doses of IL-12 did not produce cumulative effects on this cellular Immune response. Multiple injections with IL-12 also resulted in elevated serum IFN-gamma levels. Treatment with this cytokine the day before, on and after immunization with heat-killed P. gingivalis augmented the levels of serum antigen-specific IgG2a and IgG3 antibodies, but had obviously little or no effects on those of serum antigen-specific IgG1 and IgG2b antibodies. The results of this study suggest that treatment with exogenous IL-12 In P. gingivalis-immunized mice may enhance DTH response and Th1 cell-associated antibody production.
Subject(s)
Adjuvants, Immunologic/therapeutic use , Animals , Antibodies, Bacterial/blood , Antibody Specificity , Bacteroidaceae Infections/drug therapy , Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic , Female , Histocompatibility Antigens Class II/drug effects , Hypersensitivity, Delayed/drug therapy , Interferon-gamma/blood , Interleukin-12/immunology , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Models, Animal , Porphyromonas gingivalis/drug effects , Virus Activation/drug effectsABSTRACT
The exact role of T cells in the immunopathogenesis of Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is not well understood and is discussed herein. It seems plausible that this autoimmune disorder is associated strongly with the functions of autoantigen-specific CD4 cells. T cell receptor Vbeta gene usage appears to be unrestricted. Furthermore, elevated gene expression of T cell-derived cytokines such as IFN-gamma, IL-1, IL-6, IL-10 and IL-13 seen in salivary glands of SS patients and the animal models of this disorder suggests that the course of SS may be mediated by Th1 and Th2 cells. Defining the precise role of these CD4 cells subsets in SS would certainly provide insights into the establishment of immunotherapeutic bimodal.
Subject(s)
Animals , Disease Models, Animal , Humans , Sjogren's Syndrome/etiology , T-Lymphocyte Subsets/immunologyABSTRACT
Interleukins produced by both lymphoid and non-lymphoid cells play a crucial role in the immune response. This paper discusses the possible interleukin network in the immunopathogenesis of some oral diseases. In chronic inflammatory periodontal diseases and periapical inflammation, interleukins such as IL-1 and IL-6 may be responsible in tissue destruction. High levels of IL-12 but not IL-4 and IL-10 may reduce the course of candidal infection. The progression of HIV infection has been associated with the regulation of distinct cytokines; thus, the pathogenesis of Kaposi's sarcoma may be regulated by IL-6. In autoimmune-associated oral diseases such as lichen planus, the role of Langerhans cells in presenting autoantigens may parallel with increased levels of IL-6. It seems, therefore, that the course of these diseases is regulated by these polypeptides which may in turn modulate the disease severity. However, whether altered levels of interleukins in certain oral disorders can be used as a diagnostic marker requires further investigation.