IL-12p40

Molecular group: 
Cytokines and receptors
Molecule/Cell: 
IL-12p40
Plasmodium strain: 
Plasmodium chabaudi chabaudi AS
pRBC infection titer: 
10^6
Mouse genetic background (Con): 
129/Sv x C57BL/6J
Level of backcrossing: 
Backcrossed for 5 generations
Experimental treatment group (EG): 
IL-12p40 -/-
Lethal infection (Con): 
no
Lethal infection (EG): 
♀ no; ♂ 40 %
Pathology (Con): 
Anemia
Pathology (EG): 
Anemia
Parasitemia (EG vs Con): 
Increased peak and increased recrudescences, no parasite clearance 40 days p.i.
Additional phenotypes (EG vs Con): 
↓ hematocrit levels and body weight; similar splenomegaly; ↓ serum IFN-g ; ↓ IFN-g production by splenic NK cells; ↓ NK cell cytotoxicity; ↑ IL-10, similar TNF-a and ↓ IFN-g production by spleen cells 7 days p.i.; similar IL-4 production by spleen cells 21 days p.i.; ↓ serum parasite-specific total Ig, IgM and IgG2a,↑ IgG1 15 and 21 days p.i.; no protection against challenge infection; ↓ IgG2a and IgG3, ↑ IgG1 and similar IgG2b 7 days after challenge infection; KO immune sera or IgG2a depleted WT immune serum did not protect susceptible A/J mice
Refs: 
Su et al., 2002, J Immunol