title: Activation of NK1.1+ T cells in vitro and their possible role in age-associated changes in inducible IL-4 production.
abstract: Interleukin (IL)-12 or IL-4 produced early in an immune response directs the differentiation of naive antigen-activated CD4+ T cells down a Th1 or Th2 pathway. The NK1.1+ subset of T cells promptly produces IL-4 following activation in vivo. We demonstrate here that NK1.1+ T cells can be directly induced to produce IL-4 in vitro when activated under serum-free culture conditions. Platelet-derived growth factor in cell culture medium was inhibitory to the production of IL-4 by NK1.1+ T cells in vitro. Lymphocytes obtained from secondary lymphoid organs of aged mice produced greater quantities of IL-4 following stimulation than lymphocytes from mature adult animals. Aged mice expressed elevated percentages of NK1.1+ T cells in their secondary lymphoid organs and peripheral blood. While this cell type was responsible for the total early IL-4 produced by lymphocytes from mature adult mice, both NK1.1+ and memory phenotype (CD44high, CD45RBlow, NK1.1-) T cells from aged donors produced IL-4 following polyclonal T cell activation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City 84132, USA.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Poynter
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Mu
authors.forename: X P
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Daynes
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000235:genetics; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D000950:Antigens, Ly; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D000077214:Becaplermin; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000276:immunology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000276:immunology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D055651:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D011506:Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D020574:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000276:immunology; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D000941:Antigens; D000950:Antigens, Ly; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D017252:CD3 Complex; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D007376:Interleukin-2; C527211:Klrb1c protein, mouse; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D055651:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D011506:Proteins; D020574:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D000077214:Becaplermin; D015847:Interleukin-4; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens