Interleukin 12 as vaccine adjuvant

• Published in: Research in immunology (Paris) Vol. 149; no. 1; pp. 37 - 39
• Main Authors: Sturmhoefel, K., Lee, K., Toole, M.O, Swiniarski, H.M., Dorner, A.J., Wolf(xc), S.F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 1998
• ISSN: 0923-2494
• DOI: 10.1016/S0923-2494(98)80041-2

Interleukin 12 (IL12) is a heterodimeric cytokine with potent immunomodulatory activity in regulating innate and adaptive immune responses. The key to its activity is induction of interferon-gamma (IFN gamma ) from T and NK cells and promotion of T helper progenitors to become T helper type 1 (Th1) cells (CD4 super(+) cells characterized by antigen-specific expression of IFN gamma and IL2). As a consequence, IL12 has proven to have vaccine adjuvant activity at several levels of the immune response including: 1) induction of an antigen-specific Th1 response; 2) modulation of the antibody responses; 3) enhancement of antibody expression; 4) induction of tumour-specific memory T-cell responses in tumour-bearing mice cured by treatment with IL12; and 5) induction of antigen-specific T cell responses to known tumour antigens. A review of these activities will be presented, as well as our recent studies of the efficacy of IL12 as an adjuvant in promoting cDNA vaccine anti-tumour responses.