title: IL-4 is essential for the systemic transfer of delayed hypersensitivity by T cell lines. Role of gamma/delta cells.
abstract: Hapten (trinitrophenyl)-specific T cell lines were obtained by repeated stimulation of lymph node cells from immune mice with Ag in vitro. These T cell lines show phenotypic properties and a pattern of cytokine production typical of Th1 cells and consisted of more than 90% V beta 8.2+ T lymphocytes and 6 to 9% gamma/delta + T lymphocytes. The lines mediate a local passive transfer of DTH when injected at the site of Ag challenge but fail to mediate a systemic passive transfer of DTH when injected i.v. However, a successful systemic passive transfer of DTH was observed when IL-4 was given to recipient mice together with the T cell lines or when the T cell lines were incubated in vitro with IL-4. IL-4 enables systemic, specific passive transfer of DTH at a dose of 10 pg/ml in vitro and at a dose of 10 pg/mouse in vivo; it is effective when injected 4 h before cell transfer but not when given 1 to 5 days earlier. Cytofluorimetric analysis shows that the gamma/delta + cells and not the V beta 8.2+ cells of the line express IL-4R and a good systemic transfer of DTH is observed when gamma/delta + cells are incubated in vitro with IL-4 and then injected together with V beta 8.2+ cells into recipient mice. In contrast, injection of V beta 8.2+ cells treated with IL-4 together with gamma/delta + cells fails to transfer DTH. Overall, the present results show that IL-4 is an important mediator in the DTH reaction and that gamma/delta + cells are one of the targets of its action.
authors.affiliation: Institute of General Pathology, University of Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dieli
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Asherson
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sireci
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gervasi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salerno
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000032:analysis*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000637:transplantation; D014301:Trinitrobenzenes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D014301:Trinitrobenzenes; D015847:Interleukin-4