       Document 0728
 DOCN  M9630728
 TI    Alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone suppresses antigen-stimulated T
       cell production of gamma-interferon.
 DT    9603
 AU    Taylor AW; Streilein JW; Cousins SW; Schepens Eye Research Institute,
       Boston, MA 02114, USA.
 SO    Neuroimmunomodulation. 1994 May-Jun;1(3):188-94. Unique Identifier :
       AIDSLINE MED/96053032
 AB    The neuropeptide alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) is
       known to suppress cytokine-mediated inflammation. In addition, we
       previously found that alpha-MSH suppressed the production of the
       proinflammatory cytokine interferon (IFN)-gamma by antigen-stimulated
       primed lymph node T cells. This immunosuppressive activity of alpha-MSH
       on lymph node T cell cultures is similar to that of interleukin (IL)-4.
       To further examine the potential 'IL-4 like' activities of alpha-MSH,
       antigen-stimulated lymph node T cell cultures were treated with
       alpha-MSH in the presence of neutralizing anti-IL-4 antibodies. The
       enhanced production of IFN-gamma caused by the presence of anti-IL-4
       alone in the T cell cultures was squelched by alpha-MSH. This
       demonstrated that in these cultures, alpha-MSH regulation of IFN-gamma
       production operates in a fashion similar to that of endogenous IL-4.
       Addition of exogenous IL-4 to antigen-stimulated lymph node T cell
       cultures did not intensify alpha-MSH down-regulation of IFN-gamma
       production, and the addition of alpha-MSH to IL-4-treated cultures did
       not further depress IFN-gamma production. These and the previous results
       suggest that the mechanism of alpha-MSH suppression of IFN-gamma
       production in the antigen-stimulated T cell cultures is similar to, but
       independent of, IL-4. When antigen-presenting cells (APCs) were the only
       cells in the antigen-stimulated T cell cultures treated with alpha-MSH,
       there was a significant reduction (60-70%) of APC elicitation of
       IFN-gamma production by untreated primed T cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
       250 WORDS)
 DE    alpha-MSH/*PHARMACOLOGY  Animal  Antigen Presentation/*DRUG EFFECTS
       Antigens, Bacterial/IMMUNOLOGY  Depression, Chemical
       Inflammation/PHYSIOPATHOLOGY  Interferon Type II/*BIOSYNTHESIS/GENETICS
       Lymph Nodes/CYTOLOGY  Lymphocyte Transformation  Mice  Mice, Inbred BALB
       C  Mycobacterium tuberculosis/IMMUNOLOGY
       Neuroimmunomodulation/*PHYSIOLOGY  Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.  Th1
       Cells/*DRUG EFFECTS/IMMUNOLOGY/METABOLISM  JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

