title: Heterogeneity of helper/inducer T lymphocytes. II. Effects of interleukin 4- and interleukin 2-producing T cell clones on resting B lymphocytes.
abstract: To compare the helper function of murine T cell clones that secrete IL-2 and IFN-gamma (Th1 cells) or IL-4 and IL-5 (Th2), purified resting B cells were stimulated with F(ab')2 rabbit anti-mouse Ig (RAMG) and rabbit Ig-specific, class II MHC-restricted cloned T cells belonging to the two subsets. Both Th2 clones examined induced strong proliferative responses of B cells in the presence of RAMG, as well as the secretion of IgM and IgG1 antibodies. In contrast, the Th1 clones tested failed to stimulate B cell growth or antibody secretion. Th2-mediated B cell activation was dependent on IL-4 and IL-5, and was also inhibited by IFN-gamma or IFN-gamma produced by Th1 cells present in the same cultures. However, the failure of Th1 cells to help resting B cells could not be reversed with neutralizing anti-IFN-gamma antibody. In addition to this inhibitory effect, IFN-gamma was required for the secretion of IgG2a antibody, particularly when B cells were stimulated with polyclonal activators such as LPS. Finally, both sets of T cell clones secreted lymphokines when stimulated with purified B cells and RAMG. These experiments demonstrate that T cells that differ in lymphokine production also differ in their ability to help B cells as a result of cognate interactions at low concentrations of antigens. Moreover, IL-4, IL-5, and IFN-gamma serve different roles in the T cell-dependent proliferative and differentiative responses of resting B lymphocytes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Boom
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liano
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Abbas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000502:physiology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000502:physiology*; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007378:Interleukins / Q000502:physiology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008211:Lymphocyte Cooperation; D051379:Mice; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification* / Q000378:metabolism; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000145:classification* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; D007376:Interleukin-2; D007378:Interleukins; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma