The pathological role of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in atherosclerosis is mediated through effects on macrophages, foam cells, and other vascular cells. Recently, we reported that ATP-binding cassette transporter 1(ABC1) message and protein levels were decreased 3- to 4-fold in foam cells by IFN-gamma. In the present study, the pathway by which IFN-gamma inhibited ABC1 expression was investig...

Intrapleural injections of recombinant human IFN-gamma have shown some efficacy in reducing tumor growth in early stages of diffuse malignant mesothelioma (DMM). Here, we have addressed the potential therapeutic effect of IFN-gamma in DMM by investigating the activation of the JAK/STAT signaling pathway in seven human mesothelioma cell lines (HMCLs) that were differentially responsive to the an...

A sensitive two-step simultaneous enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for human gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) has been developed and used as an in vitro test for human tuberculosis (TB) in comparison with tuberculin skin testing. The EIA was shown to be highly sensitive, detecting less than 0.5 IU of recombinant human IFN-gamma per ml within a linear detection range of 0.5 to 150 IU/ml. The assay was highl...

Interferon (IFN) is crucial for initiating the innate immune response and for the generation of the adaptive response. IFN, in most species, comprises IFN-alpha (IFN-alpha), IFN-beta (IFN-beta) and IFN-gamma (IFN-gamma). In this study, we compared the capacity of porcine IFN-alpha, -beta and -gamma, or a combination of them, to protect IBRS-2 cells (porcine kidney cells) from infection with pse...

STAT-induced STAT inhibitor-1 (SSI-1), also referred to as suppressor of cytokine signaling-1 and JAK-binding protein, is a member of a new family, the members of which are negative regulators of cytokine signals. SSI-1 is induced by various cytokines; however, the transcriptional mechanism of the SSI-1 gene is not fully understood. Here, we showed that transcription of the mouse SSI-1 gene was...

Recognition of conserved features of infectious agents by innate pathogen receptors plays an important role in initiating the adaptive immune response. We have investigated early changes occurring among T cells after injection of TLR agonists into mice. Widespread, transient phenotypic activation of both naive and memory T cells was observed rapidly after injection of molecules acting through T...

IL-12-induced IFN-gamma production is essential for clearance of Yersinia enterocolitica infection. Similar to IL-12, the recently described cytokine IL-18 (IFN-gamma-inducing factor) is produced by macrophages and induces IFN-gamma production in spleen cells. Therefore, we have investigated the role of IL-18 in Yersinia infection of mice. Heat-killed yersinia-triggered IL-18-promoted IFN-gamma...

Loss, reduction, or enhancement of the ability to respond to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) has no influence on survival of mice in a model of postoperative polymicrobial septic peritonitis induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). This was demonstrated by using either mice with a defective Tlr4 gene, which encodes the critical receptor molecule for LPS responses, or mice deficient for ...

The mushroom Phellinus linteus (PL) has been shown to have antitumor and immunostimulatory effects. We hypothesized that the hot water extract of PL (WEPL) exerts its significant immunostimulatory effect by inducing production of the Th1-derived cytokine interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) by T lymphocytes. T lymphocytes were isolated from the mice fed with 200 mg/kg of WEPL once a day for 4 weeks and...

Perforin (pfp) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) together in C57BL/6 (B6) and BALB/c mouse strains provided optimal protection in 3 separate tumor models controlled by innate immunity. Using experimental (B6, RM-1 prostate carcinoma) and spontaneous (BALB/c, DA3 mammary carcinoma) models of metastatic cancer, mice deficient in both pfp and IFN-gamma were significantly less proficient than pfp- o...