Interleuquin-12p40 conributes to protection against lung injury after oral Yersinia enterocolitica infection

GUTIÉRREZ, JV; VALDEZ, S; DI GENARO MS; GÓMEZ N

INFLAMMATION RESEARCH

Birkhäuser,

Lugar: Suiza; Año: 2008

1023-3830

Objective and design: the impact of Yersinia enterocolitica on lung is incompletely understood, we studied the inflammatory effects on lung by Yersinia oral infection and the influence of IL-12p40 deficiency. Methods: wild-type (WT) and IL-12p40-/- (KO) mice were orally infected with Y. enterocolitica 0:3. After 3 and 21 days, bacterial number, cell viability in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), inflammatory reactions and lung histological changes were studied. Results: On days 3 and 21, cell viability significantly decreased in BAL of KO mice. In contrast, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and bronchoalveolar lymphocytes were increased in KO mice. BAL protein and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in lung were significantly increased at day 21. Lung histological examination revealed a significantly altered appearance in both groups of mice. Conclusions: these results demonstrate that oral Y. enterocolitica infection may induce inflammatory response in lung and that IL-12p40 could play a protective role against lung injure.