Contact sensitization induces proliferation of heterogeneous populations of hapten-specific T cells.
To characterize the T cells that are activated during the induction of contact hypersensitivity (CH), two sets of studies were conducted: 1) dinitrophenol (DNP)-specific proliferative responses of T cells in draining lymph nodes of BALB/c mice sensitized epicutaneously to dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) were examined, and 2) from these lymph node cells, DNP-specific T cells were cloned by limiting dilution microculture and analyzed by FACS for surface markers, by RT-PCR, HT2 bioassay and ELISA for cytokine expression at mRNA and protein levels respectively, and by proliferation assay for cytokine and antigen-presenting cell (APC) requirements. Our results show that alpha beta TCR-bearing T cells of both the CD4+ and CD8+ subtypes from lymph nodes of DNFB-skin-painted mice proliferate specifically to dinitrobenzene sulfonate (DNBS) in vitro. Four DNP-specific, CD4+ T-cell clones were characterized: clone 5S4 secreted IL-4 and required Il-4 for optimal growth; clone 5S10 secreted IL-2 and required IL-2 for optimal growth; clone 5S2 secreted IL-4 but required IL-2 for optimal growth; and clone 5S8 secreted IL-2 predominantly at 5 months, but switched to production of IL-4 at 7 months. All four clones secreted IL-10, and proliferated to DNBS when Langerhans cell (LC)-enriched epidermal cells were used as APC. These findings indicate that heterogeneous populations of DNP-specific T cells are activated in draining lymph nodes during the induction of CH to DNFB in BALB/c mice.
Fehr
B S
BS
Department of Dermatology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas 75235-9069.
Takashima
A
A
Matsue
H
H
Gerometta
J S
JS
Bergstresser
P R
PR
Cruz
P D
PD
D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000818:Animals; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000276:immunology*; D004140:Dinitrophenols / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006241:Haptens / Q000276:immunology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008806:Mice, Inbred AKR; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D004140:Dinitrophenols; D006241:Haptens; D007376:Interleukin-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015847:Interleukin-4