Rheumatoid inflammatory T-cell clones express mostly Th1 but also Th2 and mixed (Th0-like) cytokine patterns.
This study was performed in order to characterize whether T cells from rheumatoid synovial inflammation belong to the Th1- or Th2-like functional subsets. Cytokine production was studied in 26 CD4+ alpha beta+ and 2 CD8+ alpha beta T-cell clones from the synovial fluid, the synovial membrane and peripheral blood of 5 patients. Fifteen of the CD4+ clones were raised against various mycobacterial antigens and 11 CD4+ clones and 2 CD8+ clones were raised unspecifically using PHA and/or IL-2. The specificities of these clones are not known. In the mycobacterial antigen-specific group, all CD4+ alpha beta T-cell clones produced IFN-gamma at high levels, while the production of IL-4 was generally absent or low (< 1 ng/ml), consistent with a Th1-like profile. Some of these clones, however, also produced various amounts of IL-10 which has been regarded as a Th2 product but can be produced also in lower amounts by Th1 cells. One HSP-65-specific clone produced levels of IL-4 and IL-10 in the same order as that of IFN-gamma, thus appearing to be Th0-like. Among the 11 unspecific CD4+ clones, 7 showed a Th1-like pattern but with lower levels of IFN-gamma than the antigen-specific clones. However, three clones did not produce any IFN-gamma activity but produced IL-4 and one of them also produced distinct amounts of IL-10, compatible with a Th2-like pattern. In addition, one of the clones also showed an almost equally strong IFN-gamma and IL-4 production, thus most likely representing a Th0-like clone.
Quayle
A J
AJ
Institute of Immunology and Rheumatology, Oslo, Norway.
Chomarat
P
P
Miossec
P
P
Kjeldsen-Kragh
J
J
Førre
O
O
Natvig
J B
JB
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D018834:Chaperonin 60; D018833:Chaperonins; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology*; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000276:immunology; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens
D000954:Antigens, Surface; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D018834:Chaperonin 60; D016207:Cytokines; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens; C074119:heat-shock protein 65, Mycobacterium; D016753:Interleukin-10; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D018833:Chaperonins