Abstract

Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) is a pleiotrophic cytokine with immunomodulatory effects on a variety of immune cells. Mice with a targeted disruption of the IFN-γ gene were generated. These mice developed normally and were healthy in the absence of pathogens. However, mice deficient in IFN-γ had impaired production of macrophage antimicrobial products and reduced expression of macrophage major histocompatibility complex class II antigens. IFN-γ-deficient mice were killed by a sublethal dose of the intracellular pathogen Mycobacterium bovis . Splenocytes exhibited uncontrolled proliferation in response to mitogen and alloantigen. After a mixed lymphocyte reaction, T cell cytolytic activity was enhanced against allogeneic target cells. Resting splenic natural killer cell activity was reduced in IFN-γ-deficient mice. Thus, IFN-γ is essential for the function of several cell types of the murine immune system.

Keywords

Immune systemBiologyInterferon gammaSplenocyteImmunologyMajor histocompatibility complexMacrophageInterferonCytokineT cellAntigenIntracellular parasiteIn vitro

MeSH Terms

AnimalsCell DivisionCytotoxicityImmunologicHistocompatibility Antigens Class IIImmunityInterferon-gammaIsoantigensKiller CellsNaturalLymphocyte Culture TestMixedMacrophagesMiceMiceInbred C57BLMiceTransgenicMutationMycobacterium bovisNitric OxideSpleenT-LymphocytesTransfectionTuberculosis

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Publication Info

Year
1993
Type
article
Volume
259
Issue
5102
Pages
1739-1742
Citations
1730
Access
Closed

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Cite This

Dyana K. Dalton, Sharon Pitts-Meek, Satish Keshav et al. (1993). Multiple Defects of Immune Cell Function in Mice with Disrupted Interferon-γ Genes. Science , 259 (5102) , 1739-1742. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.8456300

Identifiers

DOI
10.1126/science.8456300
PMID
8456300

Data Quality

Data completeness: 81%