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. 1992 Jul;90(1):262–266. doi: 10.1172/JCI115846

Recombinant interleukin-12 suppresses the synthesis of immunoglobulin E by interleukin-4 stimulated human lymphocytes.

M Kiniwa 1, M Gately 1, U Gubler 1, R Chizzonite 1, C Fargeas 1, G Delespesse 1
PMCID: PMC443090  PMID: 1353081

Abstract

Interleukin-12 is a recently discovered lymphokine displaying an array of in vitro activities suggesting a major role in protective immunity against infectious agents like viruses. This study provides evidence that IL-12 may also be implicated in the selection of the immunoglobulin isotypes. We show that picomolar concentrations of rIL-12 markedly inhibit the synthesis of IgE by IL-4-stimulated PBMC. The suppression of IgE is observed at the protein and at the mRNA levels, it is isotype specific, and it is abolished by neutralizing anti-IL-12 mAbs. IL-12 may suppress IgE synthesis by: (a) inducing the production of IFN-gamma, a known inhibitor of IgE synthesis and (b) by a novel mechanism which is IFN-gamma independent. The best evidence for this is from studies on IgE synthesis by IL-4-plus hydrocortisone-stimulated umbilical cord blood lymphocytes, which do not produce detectable amounts of IFN-gamma. In such cultures, rIL-12 inhibits IgE synthesis even in the presence of a large excess of neutralizing anti-IFN-gamma mAb.

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Selected References

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