N. Delirezh - Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
R. Norian - Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
A. Azadmehr - Department of Immunology, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran

Interleukin (IL)-۱۷ is exclusively produced by CD۴ helper T-cells upon activation. It most often acts as a pro-inflammatory cytokine, which stimulates the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-۶, IL-۸, TNF-α, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). In this study, we studied the in-vitro IL-۱۷ response to specific antigens and a variety of mitogens and compared the IL-۱۷ response to IL-۲, IL-۴, IL-۵, IL-۶, IL-۱۰, and IFN-γ responses. We used a foot and mouth disease (FMD) vaccine as specific antigens and mitogens (phytohemagglutinin [PHA], pokeweed mitogen [PWM], and concanavalin A [Con A]) to stimulate peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of vaccinated calves. Cell culture supernatant was harvested and analyzed for cytokines, using commercially available bovine ELISA kits. The mitogens induced a significant increase in IL-۱۷ production. IL-۱۷ was produced at high levels in response to the T cell-stimulated mitogens, PHA, and Con A, and at low levels in response to PWM mitogens. In contrast, level of the produced IL-۱۷ cytokines in response to the FMDV antigens was lower as compared to those produced by mitogens. The FMDV antigens and mitogens significantly increased IL-۱۷ production. There was not a correlation between IL-۱۷ production and type-۱ cytokine, IFN-γ, and IL-۲, while there was a correlation between type-۲ cytokine, IL-۴, and IL-۵ at either cytokine level produced by PBMCs stimulated by FMDV antigens. Moreover, there was an interaction between IL-۱۷ and IL-۶, that is, as IL-۶ cytokine level elevated or diminished, IL-۱۷ cytokine level increased or decreased, as well.

Interleukin-۱۷, vaccine, Foot and Mouth disease, Peripheral blood mononuclear cells