title: Comparison of monocytes and B cells for activation of human T helper cell subsets.
abstract: Human rye grass allergen Lol p I-specific T helper cell clones of Thp, Th0, Th1 and Th2 subtype were activated with Lol p I and monocytes or B cells as antigen-presenting cells, and cell proliferation, interleukin (IL)-2, interferon-gamma, and IL-4 secretion were measured. Monocytes induced activation of T cell clones of all four T helper cell subsets and were usually more potent antigen-presenting cells than B cells. B cells and monocytes similarly induced proliferation and IL-4 secretion by Th2 clones, whereas B cells, in contrast to monocytes, only weakly activated Th1 clones. However, exceptions to this rule existed within each T helper cell subset suggesting that individual T cell clones, regardless of the subset to which they belong, may have quantitatively and/or qualitatively different requirements for secondary activation signals which are provided by the antigen-presenting cells. The data demonstrate that, in general, monocytes are more effective than B cells in activating human T cell clones of all subtypes and that B cells were efficient antigen-presenting cells only for Th2 cells. However, individual T cell clones of any given T helper cell subset vary with respect to their activation by monocytes or B cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla 92093, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Roth
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Spiegelberg
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002999:Clone Cells; D006801:Humans; D008129:Lolium / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D052179:Antigens, Plant; C042814:Lol p I protein, Lolium perenne; D010940:Plant Proteins