IFNγ enhances IL-23 production during Francisella infection of human monocytes

Butchar, Jonathan P.; Parsa, Kishore V.L.; Marsh, Clay B.; Tridandapani, Susheela

doi:10.1016/j.febslet.2008.02.058

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Volume 582, Issue 7 , Pages 1044-1048, 2 April 2008

IFNγ enhances IL-23 production during Francisella infection of human monocytes

Edited by Beat Imhof

Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, United States

Received 4 January 2008; received in revised form 21 February 2008; accepted 22 February 2008. published online 04 March 2008.

Abstract

We previously demonstrated that monocytes produce IL-23 during Francisella infection, and that IL-23 induces IFNγ from NK cells. Here, we demonstrate that IFNγ-priming of monocytes enhances IL-23 production during Francisella infection. This effect was seen on the IL12/23 p40 subunit. Induction of IL-12/23 p40 is reported to be enhanced by IRF-1 and IRF-8. Consistently, microarray analysis of IFNγ-treated monocytes revealed a significant induction of the IRFs. Interestingly, IFNγ-primed monocytes produced IL-12 p70, a more potent inducer of IFNγ than IL-23. We propose that there exists an amplification loop between monocyte IL-23 and NK/T cell IFNγ that leads to IL-12 p70 production.

Keywords: Host response, IL-23, Monocytes, Francisella