Role of Pasteurella multocida porin on cytokine expression and release by murine splenocytes

The aim of this study was to verify whether Pasteurella multocida porin can affect the expression and release of IL-1 alpha, IL-6, TNF-alpha, IL-4, IF N-gamma, IL-10 and IL-12 by murine slpenocytes in vitro. P. multocida porin and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were able to induce the release of IL-1 alpha , IL-6, TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma and IL-12 in a dose-dependent fashion. The gre atest release of these cytokines was obtained using P. multocida porin at a concentration of 5 mu g ml(-1) and LPS at a concentration of 1 mu g ml(-1) . The time-courses of release showed that P. multocida LPS was able to stim ulate the production of IL-1 alpha, IL-6, TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma and IL-12 ea rlier than porin and at a greater rate. No effect was observed on IL-4 and IL-10 release under the same experimental conditions. P. multocida porin an d LPS were also able to up-regulate the mRNA expression of IL-1 alpha, IL-6 , TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma and IL-12 p40. Our findings suggest that P. multocid a porin is able to modulate inflammatory and immunological responses by aff ecting the release of several cytokines and the expression of their genes. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.