Up-regulation of IL-4 production by the activated cAMP/cAMP-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase A) pathway in CD3/CD28-stimulated naive T cells

The signal transduction of the cAMP/cAMP-dependent protein kinase [protein kinase A (PKA)] pathway through multiple receptors is critical for many processes in all cell types. In T cells, the engagement of both the TCR-CD3 complex and the CD28 co-stimulatory molecule also induces cAMP, and subsequently activates PKA. It is believed that elevation of cAMP levels in T cells is inhibitory of IL-2 production and T cell proliferation. However, the function and detailed signal transduction mechanisms of the cAMP/PKA pathway in naive T(h) cells are less well understood. In this study, we show that calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) down-regulates IL-2 and IFN-gamma production and up-regulates IL-4 production to promote T(h)2 differentiation by moderate activation of the cAMP/PKA pathway via the CGRP receptor in the presence of a CD3/CD28 co-stimulation signal. The IL-4 production and transcriptional activation of T(h)2 cytokine mRNAs were also reproduced by the addition of a cAMP analogue, dibutyryl-cAMP, in CD3/CD28-stimulated naive T(h) cells. More interestingly, cAMP/PKA activation in naive T(h) cells stimulated with anti-CD3 plus anti-CD28 mAb is essential for inducing IL-4 production and promoting T(h)2 differentiation; in addition, NF-AT is a downstream effector of the cAMP/PKA signaling pathway. These findings indicate that the cAMP/PKA pathway transduces the critical activation signal to T(h)2 polarization by a CD3/CD28 co-stimulation signal and a PKA activating reagent.