Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and prostaglandin E2(PGE2) regulate differently IL-12 production in human intestinal lamina propria mononuclear cells (LPMC)

IL-12 modulates Th1 immune response during chronic colitis. Mechanisms regulating IL-12 synthesis in human intestine are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of IFN-γ and PGE2 on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated LPMC IL-12 production. Normal LPMC cultures were run in the presence or absence of IFN-γ and/or PGE2 before LPS stimulation. To examine the role of endogenous PGE2 on LPS-stimulated IL-12 release, LPMC cultures were added of indomethacin before LPS stimulation. IL-12, IL-10 and IL-8 were measured by ELISA. No IL-12 was detected in either unstimulated or LPS-stimulated LPMC cultures. In contrast, LPMC released IL-8 (650 ± 125 pg/ml) and IL-10 (75 ± 25 pg/ml) in response to LPS. Treatment of LPMC with IFN-γ facilitated LPS-stimulated IL-12, whereas it completely abrogated IL-10 production. IL-12 release by LPMC stimulated with IFN-γ and LPS was significantly inhibited by exogenous IL-10. The addition of PGE2 to IFN-γ-treated LPMC cultures inhibited in a dose-dependent manner LPS-induced IL-12 secretion. Furthermore, IL-12 was detectable (85 ± 25 pg/ml) in the supernatants of LPMC cultures treated with indomethacin and LPS. In contrast to the effect on IL-12, PGE2 significantly augmented LPS-stimulated LPMC IL-10 production. However, the inhibition of IL-12 by PGE2 was only partially reversed by anti-IL-10. In a simplified model of LPS tolerance, we finally showed that monocyte-derived macrophages exhibited reduced IL-12 production after repeat LPS stimulation. In these cell cultures, indomethacin abrogated the induction of LPS desensitization. IFN-γ and PGE2 modulate differently the LPMC responsiveness to LPS in terms of IL-12 synthesis