Regulation of antibody production by helper T cell clones in experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis is mediated by IL-4 and antigen-specific T cell factors.
Acetylcholine receptor (AChR)-specific rat T cell clones (CD4+, CD8-, and OX22-) were shown to secrete both Th1 and Th2 lymphokines, IL-2, IL-4, and IFN-gamma following stimulation with AChR. These clones helped production of antibody to AChR by B cells which was found to be regulated primarily by IL-4, not by IL-2, secreted by the T cells in response to AChR. Cell-free supernatants from some AChR-activated T cell clones led to production of low levels of antibody to AChR by B cell-enriched, AChR-primed lymph node cells. Supernatant-regulated help in antibody production by B cells was antigen specific, and antibodies to T cell receptors blocked the antigen-specific activity. Thus, supernatant-mediated help may not be due solely to IL-4, and other factors, possibly including some fragment of the T cell antigen receptor present in the supernatant, appear to contribute to helping antibody production by B cells.
Asthana
D
D
Department of Surgery, University of Miami, Florida 33136.
Fujii
Y
Y
Huston
G E
GE
Lindstrom
J
J
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects; D001323:Autoantibodies; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D000939:Epitopes; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000378:metabolism*
D001323:Autoantibodies; D000939:Epitopes; D007376:Interleukin-2; D008222:Lymphokines; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma