An evaluation of the neonatal immune system using a Listeria infection model
- Authors
- Byun, Hyun-Jung; Jung, Woon-Won; Lee, Jong-Bae; Chung, Hee Yong; Sul, Donggeun; Kim, Sang Joon; Park, Chung-Gyu; Choi, Inho; Hwang, Kwang Woo; Chun, Taehoon
- Issue Date
- 2007
- Publisher
- KARGER
- Keywords
- neonate; Listeria infection; T helper 1 and T helper 2 imbalance
- Citation
- NEONATOLOGY, v.92, no.2, pp.83 - 90
- Indexed
- SCIE
SCOPUS
- Journal Title
- NEONATOLOGY
- Volume
- 92
- Number
- 2
- Start Page
- 83
- End Page
- 90
- URI
- https://scholar.korea.ac.kr/handle/2021.sw.korea/123100
- DOI
- 10.1159/000100806
- ISSN
- 1661-7800
- Abstract
- Background: T helper 1 (Th1)/T helper 2 (Th2)- biased cytokine regulation may be another reason that neonates are much more susceptible to infectious disease than are adults. Objectives: We attempted to determine the ability of neonatal mice to direct the Th1 phenotype against Listeria monocytogenes (LM), because LM, an intracellular Gram-positive bacterium, induces profound cellular immunity by Th1 cells in vivo. Methods: In order to determine whether neonatal mice evidence strong Th1 activity during LM infection, neonatal mice were compared with adult mice with regard to susceptibility to LM, cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity, and cytokine profiles. Neonatal gene profiles relevant to Th1 and Th2 differentiation during LM infection were also compared between neonatal and adult mice, via real-time PCR and RTPCR. Results: Neonatal mice were found to be far more susceptible to LM infection than adult mice, due to a lack in the induction of cytotoxic T cell activity, coupled with poor IFN-gamma secretion. Further, LM-infected neonatal mice evidenced much lower levels of expression of Th1-type immune components, including IL-12, IFN- gamma, Delta-4 and T-bet, as compared to those features in adult mice. These results may be due to the comparably lower expressions of mannose-bind lectins and some of toll-like receptors (TLRs) such as TLR-5, - 6 and - 9, necessary mediators to develop Th1 immune responses. Conclusions: Neonatal mice may not mount an adequate Th1 type immune response due to a significantly lower expression of Th1-type immune components as compared to adult mice, even when forced into a Th1-prone environment. Copyright (c) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel.
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Collections - Graduate School > Department of Medicine > 1. Journal Articles
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