Sequential Production of Alpha and Beta Interferons and Gamma Interferon in the Circulation ofListeria monocytogenes-Infected Mice after Stimulation with Bacterial Lipopolysaccharide

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Sequential production of interferon (IFN)-.alpha./.beta. and IFN-.gamma. in the circulation of mice which were previously infected with viable L. monocytogenes was induced by injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) derived from Salmonella typhimurium. IFN-.alpha./.beta. production occurred 2 h after injection of LPS; thereafter IFN-.gamma. appeared and the maximum titer was demonstrated at 6 h. At that time, almost all of the IFN was IFN-.gamma.. IFN-.gamma. production in response to LPS was observed from 5-11 days after infection with Listeria, but it was not demonstrated in either mice infected with lower doses of viable Listeria or mice immunized with heat-killed bacteria. IFN-.alpha./.beta. production was not drastically affected by treatment with hydrocortisone, cyclophosphamide, carrageenan, anti-thymocyte serum, or anti-asialo GM1 antibody; IFN-.gamma. production was suppressed by administration of all these agents. IFN-.alpha./.beta., but not IFN-.gamma., was produced even 6 h after stimulation with LPS in cyclophosphamide- or antithymocyte serum-treated mice. IFN-.gamma. induction by LPS was markedly suppressed in mice in which IFN-.alpha./.beta. produced by Listeria infection itself was depleted by treatment with anti-mouse IFN-.alpha./.beta. antibody, but it was not inhibited in mice when IFN-.alpha./.beta. induced not by Listeria infection but by LPS was depleted by treatment with anti-mouse IFN-.alpha./.beta. antibody.