Differential Induction of Interferon γ Gene Expression After Activation of CD4+T Cells by Conventional Antigen and Mls Superantigen

• Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS Vol. 88; no. 7; pp. 2736 - 2739
• Main Authors: Patarca, Roberto, Wei, Feng-Yi, Iregui, Maria Victoria, Cantor, Harvey
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 01-04-1991; National Acad Sciences
• Subjects: Analysis of the immune response. Humoral and cellular immunity; Animals; Antibodies; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Antigen presenting cells; Antigens; Antigens, Surface - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; CD4 Antigens - immunology; Cells, Cultured; Clone Cells; Cytokines; Cytokines - genetics; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation; Genes, MHC Class II; Immunobiology; Interferon-gamma - genetics; Lymphocyte Activation; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Inbred DBA; Minor Lymphocyte Stimulatory Antigens; Miscellaneous; Ova; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell - immunology; Regulatory factors and their cellular receptors; Restriction Mapping; RNA; RNA - genetics; RNA - isolation & purification; Spleen cells; T cell antigen receptors; T lymphocytes; T-Lymphocytes - immunology; T cell receptor; Major histocompatibility system; Rodentia; Class II histocompatibility antigen; Cytokine; Minor histocompatibility system; Gene expression; Cell subpopulation; Antigen; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Gene; Mouse; T-Lymphocyte; Recognition; Clone; Gamma interferon
• ISSN: 0027-8424; 1091-6490
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.88.7.2736

We have analyzed cytokine gene expression by a murine CD4+T-cell clone that expresses three forms of T-cell recognition. The clone employs a Vβ6-containing T-cell receptor to recognize (i) a self class II major histocompatibility complex and an ovalbumin-derived peptide (OVA), (ii) an I-Aballoantigen, and (iii) Mls-1a. All three responses are accompanied by similar levels of cell proliferation. However, although interferon γ gene expression is strongly induced during both physiological recognition of the OVA peptide and allogeneic major histocompatibility complex recognition, expression of this gene was not detected during the Mls response. These studies indicate that Mls recognition is functionally distinct from T-cell recognition of peptides and alloantigens and leads to an alternative pattern of cytokine gene expression. They also suggest the possibility that encounter with these two classes of T-cell antigen in vivo may generate subsets of T helper cells that display different patterns of cytokine gene expression.