IngentaConnect Cytokine mRNA Expression and Serum Cortisol Evaluation During Mur...

Authors: Actor J.K.; Leonard C.D.; Watson V.E.; Wells A.; Jagannath C.; Hunter Jr. R.L.; Dasgupta A.

Source: Combinatorial Chemistry & High Throughput Screening, Volume 3, Number 4, August 2000 , pp. 343-351(9)

Publisher: Bentham Science Publishers

Abstract:

A model system was characterized for investigating the potential role of cortisol in MTB induced immunopathology. Serum cortisol levels were evaluated in two mouse strains; C57BL/6 mice develop lung granulomas following acute Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection while A/J mice are deficient in this process. Serum cortisol levels were examined post infection, as well as immunoregulatory mRNA expression in the lung, measured using bioluminescent RT-PCR techniques. Prior to infection, the A/J mice constitutively maintain nearly 75% higher serum cortisol than C57BL/6 mice. Both A/J and C57BL/6 mice exhibited approximately 30% reduction in relative serum cortisol following infection. At no time did serum cortisol levels in the A/J fall below constitutive levels in the non-infected C57BL/6. The overall elevated cortisol in the A/J may affect pulmonary immunoresponsiveness; A/J mice exhibited earlier induction of IL-10 and TNF-a than C57BL/6 mice, with a relative lack of IL-2 during late infection. Conversely, the C57BL/6 mice demonstrated higher IL-12(p40) and IL-2 messages at the latter stages of disease than the A/J mice. Both mice demonstrated high IFN-g mRNA. The high constitutive serum cortisol in the A/J mice may therefore contribute to establishment of an environment counter-productive to initiation of protective Th1 cell and granulomatous responses.

The full text electronic article is available for purchase. You will be able to download the full text electronic article after payment.

$55.10 plus tax Refund Policy

Cytokine mRNA Expression and Serum Cortisol Evaluation During Murine Lung Inflammation Induced by Mycobacterium tuberculosis