Clonal diversity of IL-4 and IL-13 expression in human allergen-specific T lymphocytes,☆☆,,★★

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Abstract

The expression of IL-4 and IL-13 was analyzed in a panel of short ragweed allergen (Amb a 1)–specific T-cell clones from an allergic subject and a nonallergic individual. The T cells from the allergic subject showed a predominantly T H0 phenotype. The T cells from the nonallergic individual produced undetectable levels of IL-4 and high levels of interferon-γ, suggesting a T H1 cytokine profile. However, all T-cell clones showed significantly higher levels of IL-13 secretion than IL-4 secretion, and no quantitative correlation could be found between the levels of IL-4 and IL-13 in the clones tested. Furthermore, both cytokines showed similar kinetics of expression in antigen-induced steady-state messenger RNA. Finally, both cytokines were induced by stimulation of the cells with either ionomycin alone or with a combination of ionomycin and phorbol myristate acetate. These results demonstrate that there is a significant clonal diversity and quantitative difference in the levels of IL-4 and IL-13 expression in allergen-specific human T cells. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 1996;98:1035-44.)

Keywords

Allergen-specific T cell
IL-4
IL-13
IFN-γ

Abbreviations

APCs:
Antigen-presenting cells
IFN-γ:
Interferon-γ
IS:
Internal standard cRNA
PBMCs:
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells
PCR:
Polymerase chain reaction
PMA:
Phorbol myristate acetate
QC-PCR:
Quantitative, competitive PCR
RT:
Reverse transcription

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From Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Asthma and Allergy Center, Baltimore.

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Supported by National Institutes of Health grant no. AI34002 (to SKH) and a Research Fellowship from the American Lung Association (to DME).

Reprint requests: Shau-Ku Huang, PhD, Johns Hopkins Asthma and Allergy Center, 5501 Hopkins Bayview Circle, Baltimore, MD 21224-6801.

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