INTERFERON-GAMMA-INDEPENDENT EFFECTS OF INTERLEUKIN-12 ADMINISTERED DURING ACUTE OR ESTABLISHED INFECTION DUE TO LEISHMANIA-MAJOR

Interleukin 12 (IL-12) is a powerful stimulus for the growth of activa ted T and natural killer cells, their generation of interferon gamma ( IFN-gamma), and the differentiation of T helper type 1 (T-h1) effector cells from naive precursors in vitro. These activities are consistent with the capacity of exogenons IL-12 to heal otherwise susceptible BA LB/c mice infected with the intramacrophage parasite Leishmania major. Using this characterized model of CD4 cell subset differentiation, we examined the immunologic effects of IL-12 administered either at the time of infection, when naive T cells are primed, or after 14 days of infection, by which time CD4(+) subset differentiation has occurred. G iven with the inoculation of parasites, IL-12 induced IFN-gamma and IL -10 and markedly suppressed IL-4. Effects on IL-10 and IL-4 were compa rable in mice with homozygous disruption of the IFN-gamma gene (IFN-ga mma(0/0)), and suppression of IL-4 was unchanged by administration of neutralizing anti-IL-10 antibody. Induction of IFN-gamma and IL-10 mRN A by IL-12 also occurred in infected SCID mice. Given after day 14 of infection, however, IL-12 not only induced IFN-gamma and IL-10 but als o induced IL-4 in normal and IFN-gamma(0/0) mice. These data demonstra te direct effects of IL-12 independent of IFN-gamma, IL-10, and IL-4 a nd demonstrate that the ineffectiveness of IL-12 administered followin g infection with L. major correlates with resistance of differentiated T-h2 cells to the IL-4-suppressing activity of IL-12.