Korean J Phys Anthropol.  2009 Mar;22(1):95-105.

IL-12 p40-Expressing Immune Cells Revealed by Cytokine Reporter Mouse System

• Gi M
• Kim J
• Im W
• Youn J
• Hong S

Abstract

Interleukin-12 (IL-12), consisting of p35 and p40, plays important roles in linking innate and adaptive immunity. While p35 is constitutively expressed, IL-12 p40 gene expression is induced upon activation by Toll-like receptor ligands. Recently, with gene targeting technology, the cytokine IL-12 p40 reporter mouse has been developed to express the p40 gene linked via a viral IRES element with yellow fluorescence protein (YFP) fluorescent reporter. We investigated whether this novel system would be useful to reveal IL-12 p40-producing immune cells. We first investigated whether macrophages and dendritic cells from these mice faithfully reported p40 induction. Next, we tested if microglial cells, macrophages in the brain, could induce IL-12 p40. Finally we tested whether B cells could produce IL-12 p40 because there were very few reports for IL-12 production by B cells. Our results confirmed that macrophages and dendritic cells are main producer of IL-12 p40. Then, we found that microglial cells could produce IL-12 p40 upon stimulation with various TLR ligands. Finally we found that a subset of B cells could produce IL-12 p40 in TLR9-dependent manner. Taken all together, our system will be a valuable tool to identify the type of immune cells that produce IL-12 p40.

Keyword

Fluorescent reporter mouse system; Interleukin-12; Toll-like receptor; Microglia

MeSH Terms

Adaptive Immunity
Animals
B-Lymphocytes
Brain
Corynebacterium
Dendritic Cells
Fluorescence
Gene Expression
Gene Targeting
Interleukin-12
Ligands
Macrophages
Mice
Microglia
Toll-Like Receptors
Corynebacterium
Interleukin-12
Ligands
Toll-Like Receptors