Cross-linking Fc receptors stimulate splenic non-B, non-T cells to secrete interleukin 4 and other lymphokines.
Spleen cell populations depleted of both B and T lymphocytes produce interleukin 4 (IL-4) in response to stimulation with immunoglobulins bound to the surface of culture dishes. In the presence of interleukin 3 (IL-3), plate-bound (PB) IgE and PB-IgG1, IgG2a, and IgG2b are excellent stimulants, whereas PB-IgA and PB-IgM fail to stimulate IL-4 production. In the absence of IL-3, PB-IgE stimulates relatively modest production of IL-4, whereas PB-IgG2a generally does not. The response to PB-IgE is inhibited by soluble IgE; antibody to Fc gamma receptor II inhibits the response to PB-IgG2a. Thus, separate receptors mediate these stimulations, and Fc receptor cross-linkage is required for IL-4 production. Depletion of cells expressing asialo-GM1 does not diminish IL-4 production in response to PB immunoglobulins, indicating that natural killer cells are not essential for non-B, non-T cell production of IL-4. In addition to IL-4, non-B, non-T cells produce IL-3, but no detectable interleukin 2 or interferon gamma. Non-B, non-T cells may be an important source of lymphokines in a variety of immune responses and may serve to amplify the effects of T cells of the TH2 type.
Ben-Sasson
S Z
SZ
Laboratory of Immunology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Le Gros
G
G
Conrad
D H
DH
Finkelman
F D
FD
Paul
W E
WE
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D001685:Biological Factors / Q000494:pharmacology; D016207:Cytokines; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D004261:DNA Replication; D005260:Female; D007072:Immunoglobulin D / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D007377:Interleukin-3 / Q000494:pharmacology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011961:Receptors, Fc / Q000276:immunology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology*
D000906:Antibodies; D001685:Biological Factors; D016207:Cytokines; D007072:Immunoglobulin D; D007376:Interleukin-2; D007377:Interleukin-3; D008222:Lymphokines; D011961:Receptors, Fc; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma