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Effect of T‐helper cytokine environment on specificity of T‐cell responses to mycobacterial 65 000 MW heat‐shock protein
Author(s) -
Siew,
Beech,
Kim D. Thompson,
Elson
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.297
H-Index - 133
eISSN - 1365-2567
pISSN - 0019-2805
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2567.1998.00007.x
Subject(s) - cytokine , heat shock protein , epitope , t cell , biology , antigen , immunology , interleukin 21 , t helper cell , interleukin 4 , interleukin 2 , interleukin 12 , in vitro , immune system , cytotoxic t cell , biochemistry , gene
The purpose of this work was to determine if the fine specificity of T cells differed between mice immunized with an antigen in a T helper 1 (Th1) cytokine‐dominated environment as compared with a T helper 2 (Th2) cytokine‐dominated environment. It was found that splenic T cells from mice immunized with mycobacterial heat‐shock protein (hsp 65) and interleukin‐12 (IL‐12) produced less interleukin‐4 (IL‐4) and more interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) in response to stimulation with hsp 65 in vitro than did T cells from mice immunized with hsp 65 alone. The T‐cell proliferative response to hsp 65 did not differ between the two groups of mice, although the responses were higher than those of T cells from non‐immunized mice. Strikingly, T cells from mice given hsp 65 and IL‐12 gave significantly higher responses to six peptides (corresponding to the sequence of hsp 65) to which T cells from mice immunized with hsp 65 alone did not respond. It is considered that different epitopes are presented to T cells (possibly owing to changes in antigen processing) if the environment is shifted, by IL‐12, from Th2 towards Th1 cytokines.