@article{7547,
  keywords = {Animals, Immunotherapy, Infusions, Parenteral, Interleukin-1, Macrophage Activation, Mice, Mice, Inbred BALB C, Mycobacterium Infections, Mycobacterium lepraemurium},
  author = {Denis M},
  title = {Recombinant interleukin-1 infusion increases resistance of BALB/c mice to murine leprosy.},
  abstract = {<p>BALB/c mice were infected by the subcutaneous route with 10(7) Mycobacterium lepraemurium (MLM), and the progression of the infection followed in mice injected i.p. with diluent or recombinant human recombinant interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha). It was observed that infusion of 1 microgram of IL-1 alpha per day led to a reduction of bacterial growth in the livers and popliteal lymph nodes of MLM injected mice (2-3-log reduction at 6 months, P less than 0.0001). There was no indication that IL-1 alpha infusion was acting by enhancing macrophage activation. Indeed, resident peritoneal macrophages from control infected mice were as competent as macrophages from infected mice treated with IL-1 alpha in generating superoxide anion (O2-) (approximately 400 nM O2-/h/mg at 2 months post-infection). Moreover, they were no more permissive than those of IL-1 alpha infused mice for MLM in vitro as both groups of cells allowed progressive MLM growth, i.e. a 20-fold enhancement of intramacrophage MLM growth. Infusion of IL-1 alpha during MLM infection was not associated with any abrogation of the suppression of the T-cell response to T-cell mitogens or specific stimulation with antigens which is complete at 1 month post-infection. It is concluded that IL-1 alpha has immunotherapeutic potential in leprosy with the mechanism(s) of action still unclear.</p>},
  year = {1991},
  journal = {International journal of immunopharmacology},
  volume = {13},
  pages = {897-902},
  month = {1991},
  issn = {0192-0561},
  doi = {10.1016/0192-0561(91)90042-6},
  language = {eng},
}