Interleukin-23 rather than interleukin-12 is the critical cytokine for autoimmune inflammation of the brain

Interleukin-12 (IL-12) is a heterodimeric molecule composed of p35 and p40 subunits. Analyses in vitro have defined IL-12 as an important factor for the differentiation of naive T cells into T-helper type 1 CD4+ lymphocytes secreting interferon-gamma (refs 1, 2). Similarly, numerous studies have concluded that IL-12 is essential for T-cell-dependent immune and inflammatory responses in vivo, primarily through the use of IL-12 p40 gene-targeted mice and neutralizing antibodies against p40. The cytokine IL-23, which comprises the p40 subunit of IL-12 but a different p19 subunit, is produced predominantly by macrophages and dendritic cells, and shows activity on memory T cells. Evidence from studies of IL-23 receptor expression and IL-23 overexpression in transgenic mice suggest, however, that IL-23 may also affect macrophage function directly. Here we show, by using gene-targeted mice lacking only IL-23 and cytokine replacement studies, that the perceived central role for IL-12 in autoimmune inflammation, specifically in the brain, has been misinterpreted and that IL-23, and not IL-12, is the critical factor in this response. In addition, we show that IL-23, unlike IL-12, acts more broadly as an end-stage effector cytokine through direct actions on macrophages.     

遍布四周的致命微生物

遍布四周的致命微生物王艇，苏应娟编译它们可以随时四处侵袭，在航船上、在饭店的角落、或者是在后门外的草地里。谁都可能是携带者：公共汽车上坐在邻座咳嗽的陌生人、来自远方的同学、甚至各方面似乎都是完美无缺的心上人。无论是在哪里。在做什么，我们都遭到来自一个...     

中国特有极度濒危植物猪血木RAPD反应体系的探索

采用改进的CTAB法提取中国特有极度濒危植物猪血木(Euryodendron excelsum H.T.Chang)嫩叶总DNA,进行RAPD分析。分别研究了模板DNA、引物、dNTPs、Mg2 和Taq DNA聚合酶用量对RAPD PCR扩增反应结果的影响。筛选并建立了适合于猪血木RAPD扩增的反应体系:总体积25μL,其中10×PCR缓冲液(500 mmol/L KCl,100 mmol/L Tris-HCl,1.0%Triton X-100,20 mmol/L MgCl2)2.0μL,引物(1.5μmol/L)0.2μL,dNTPs(10 mmol/L)0.3μL,模板2μL(15 ng),Taq酶0.4μL(0.5 U),水20.1μL。