CD30 defines a subset of activated human T cells that produce IFN-gamma and IL-5 and exhibit enhanced B cell helper activity.
CD30 is a lymphoid activation Ag expressed by activated B and T lymphocytes, as well as selected lymphoid malignancies. In T cells, CD30 expression is limited to a minority (15 to 25%) of activated CD45RO+ T cells. Studies were undertaken to define unique functional properties of CD30+ T cells by identifying the profile of cytokine production by CD30+ T cells, and by assessing their ability to provide help for B cell Ig production. Assessment of cytokine mRNA transcripts by reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) revealed the presence of IFN-gamma mRNA transcripts only in CD30+ T cells derived from FACS purified from activated CD45RO+ T cells. IFN-gamma mRNA was present neither in the CD30- subset of activated CD45RO+ T cells, nor in activated CD45RA+ T cells. Both CD30+ and CD30- subsets expressed IL-10 and IL-2R alpha mRNAs after 3 days of activation, but neither population expressed IL-4 or IL-6 transcripts at this time. Furthermore, production of secreted IFN-gamma was significantly greater in activated CD30+CD45RO+ cells (564 +/- 250 pg/ml) than in CD30-CD45RO+ (50 +/- 33 pg/ml) or CD45RA+ (0 +/- 0) T cells. CD30+ T cells also expressed IL-5 mRNA and secreted significantly higher levels of IL-5 (320 +/- 73) than activated CD30-CD45RO+ (17 +/- 5) T cells. In contrast, CD30- T cells produced significantly higher levels of IL-2 than CD30+ T cells (1270 +/- 380 vs 450 +/- 128). Induction of IFN-gamma in CD30+ T cells was not a result of CD30 engagement by Abs used during the isolation process, although an anti-CD30 Ab (M44) known to exert agonist activity was capable of inducing IFN-gamma production by T cells when immobilized to plastic. Finally, CD30+CD4+ T cells exhibit significantly greater helper activity for B cell Ig production than CD30-CD4+ T cells. These results demonstrate that CD30 identifies a unique subset of T cells that comprise the major IFN-gamma- and IL-5-producing cells in the T cell compartment, and exhibit potent helper activity for B cell Ig production.
Alzona
M
M
Division of Hematology/Oncology, Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 60153.
Jäck
H M
HM
Fisher
R I
RI
Ellis
T M
TM
D000917:Antibody Formation; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D001483:Base Sequence; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D017730:Ki-1 Antigen / Q000032:analysis*; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008211:Lymphocyte Cooperation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*
D017931:DNA Primers; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015848:Interleukin-5; D017730:Ki-1 Antigen; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens