Extent of T cell receptor ligation can determine the functional differentiation of naive CD4+ T cells.
Naive CD4+ T cells can differentiate into cells predominantly involved in humoral immunity, known as T helper type 2 cells (Th2), or cells involved in cell-mediated immunity, known as Th1 cells. In this report, we show that priming of CD4+ T cells bearing a transgene-encoded T cell receptor can lead to differentiation into Th1-like cells producing abundant interferon gamma when the cells are exposed to high antigen doses, while low doses of the same peptide induce cells with the same T cell receptor to differentiate into Th2-like cells producing abundant interleukin 4. Thus antigen dose is one factor that can control the differentiation fate of a naive CD4+ T cell.
Constant
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S
Section of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Pfeiffer
C
C
Woodard
A
A
Pasqualini
T
T
Bottomly
K
K
D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D003574:Cytochrome c Group / Q000276:immunology; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009036:Moths; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000276:immunology; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology
D000941:Antigens; D003574:Cytochrome c Group; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma