Establishment and characterization of alpha s1-casein-specific T-cell lines from patients allergic to cow's milk: unexpected higher frequency of CD8+ T-cell lines.
To study cow's milk allergy at the cellular level, we assessed the reactivity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients allergic to cow's milk to alpha s1-casein, which is one of the major allergens in cow's milk. Proliferation of the cells to alpha s1-casein activation showed a rather weak response. Therefore to understand T-cell reactivity to alpha s1-casein in more detail, we prepared alpha s1-casein-specific T-cell lines from patients allergic to cow's milk and established 26 T-cell lines. These T-cell lines could be classified into three groups by analyzing their surface marker expression: those containing predominantly CD4+ CD8- T cells, those containing both CD4+CD8- and CD4-CD8+ T cells, and those containing predominantly CD4- CD8+ T cells. The CD8+ T cells were obtained at an unexpectedly higher frequency from the patients. These T-cell lines produced interferon-gamma and IL-4. These results suggest that CD8+ T cells specific for alpha s1-casein and CD4+ T cells were primed by the stimulation with alpha s1-casein in patients allergic to milk and that both T cells may play a key role in the onset, progression of, or recovery from cow's milk allergy.
Nakajima
H
H
Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, University of Tokyo, Japan.
Hachimura
S
S
Nishiwaki
S
S
Katsuki
T
T
Shimojo
N
N
Ametani
A
A
Kohno
Y
Y
Kaminogawa
S
S
D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002364:Caseins / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D016269:Milk Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D002364:Caseins; D016207:Cytokines; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma