Does the Cell Wall Skeleton from Bacille Calmette-Guerin Directly Induce Interferon Independent of Interleukin-12?

Abstract

Interleukin-12 (IL-12), known to be a strong inducer of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), plays a vital role in activating the immune surveillance system against intracellular pathogens and malignant tumors. The authors have found that cancer patients showing marked IFN-gamma induction after inoculation with BCG-CWS (the cell wall skeleton from Bacille Calmette-Guérin) have a good prognosis. The present study was undertaken to determine whether the level of IL-12 is increased prior to, or along with, IFN-gamma induction in the serum of patients inoculated with BCG-CWS. Unexpectedly, we found no detectable amount of IL-12 in the serum throughout the entire time course. This suggests that a novel IFN-gamma inducing factor (IGIF) or another unknown IFN-gamma inducer may be working in place of IL-12 in the BCG-CWS system.