Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Search research articles

Related Experiment Videos

Il-12: keeping cell-mediated immunity alive.

A Y Park¹, P Scott

¹Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3800 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.

Scandinavian Journal of Immunology

|June 26, 2001

Summary

Interleukin-12 (IL-12) is crucial for initiating and maintaining cell-mediated immunity. Understanding how IL-12 sustains Th1 cells is key for developing new vaccines and immunotherapies.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

The Hull mechanical thrombectomy (MT) model: interventional radiologists performing mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischaemic stroke in the United Kingdom. Training, governance and beyond, with a propensity score matching analysis of outcomes.

Clinical radiology·2026

Same author

Radiometer calibration using machine learning.

Scientific reports·2025

Same author

Receiver design for the REACH global 21-cm signal experiment.

Experimental astronomy·2025

Same author

Comparative evaluation of PCR and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays for detecting <i>Pasteurella multocida</i> in poultry.

New Zealand veterinary journal·2024

Same author

What are the 100 most cited fungal genera?

Studies in mycology·2024

Same author

Cardiac sympathetic denervation and anxiety in Parkinson disease.

Parkinsonism & related disorders·2024

Area of Science:

Immunology
Cell-mediated immunity
T helper cell differentiation

Background:

Interleukin-12 (IL-12) has been recognized for over a decade for its essential role in initiating T helper 1 (Th1) cell development.
Emerging evidence suggests IL-12's function extends beyond initiating immune responses to actively maintaining them.
The decline of Th1 responses and protective immunity against intracellular pathogens like Leishmania and Toxoplasma in IL-12-deficient conditions highlights its maintenance role.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the mechanisms by which IL-12 sustains Th1 cells.
To elucidate the role of IL-12 in maintaining long-term cell-mediated immunity.
To identify potential targets for novel vaccine and immunotherapy strategies.

Main Methods:

The study likely involved in vivo and in vitro experiments using models of intracellular pathogen infection.
Analysis of Th1 cell populations, cytokine production, and immune memory formation in the presence and absence of IL-12.
Investigating signaling pathways downstream of the IL-12 receptor.

Main Results:

Th1 responses were observed to diminish rapidly without IL-12, leading to compromised immunity.
IL-12 was shown to be critical for the persistence and function of Th1 cells.
The findings underscore the dual role of IL-12 in both the induction and maintenance phases of cell-mediated immunity.

Conclusions:

IL-12 is indispensable for sustaining Th1 cell populations and thereby maintaining effective cell-mediated immunity.
Further research into IL-12's maintenance functions can inform the design of more effective vaccines and immunotherapies.
Understanding IL-12's role in immunity offers new avenues for controlling immune responses.

Related Experiment Videos