title: Clonal diversity of IL-4 and IL-13 expression in human allergen-specific T lymphocytes.
abstract: The expression of IL-4 and IL-13 was analyzed in a panel of short ragweed allergen (Amb a 1)-specific T-cell clones from an allergic subject and a nonallergic individual. The T cells from the allergic subject showed a predominantly TH0 phenotype. The T cells from the nonallergic individual produced undetectable levels of IL-4 and high level of interferon-gamma, suggesting a TH1 cytokine profile. However, all T-cell clones showed significantly higher levels of IL-13 secretion than IL-4 secretion, and no quantitative correlation could be found between the levels of IL-4 and IL-13 in the clones tested. Furthermore, both cytokines showed similar kinetics of expression in antigen-induced steady-state messenger RNA. Finally, both cytokines were induced by stimulation of the cells with either ionomycin alone or with a combination of ionomycin and phorbol myristate acetate. These results demonstrate that there is a significant clonal diversity and quantitative difference in the levels of IL-4 and IL-13 expression in allergen-specific human T cells.
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Asthma and Allergy Center, Baltimore, MD 21224-6801, USA.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Essayan
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: X M
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: H Q
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kleine-Tebbe
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D002999:Clone Cells; D000939:Epitopes; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015759:Ionomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D007700:Kinetics; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; C026967:Amb a I protein, Ambrosia artemisiifolia; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D000939:Epitopes; D018793:Interleukin-13; D010940:Plant Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015847:Interleukin-4; D015759:Ionomycin; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate