title: Different pattern of cytokine production and mRNA expression by lymphoid and non-lymphoid cells isolated from human palatine tonsil.
abstract: To investigate the cytokines involved in the interaction between circulating (B and T lymphocytes) and non-circulating (stromal cells) elements present in lymphoid tissue, highly purified populations were isolated from human tonsils and the cytokine production and mRNA expression (interleukin-1 alpha, -2, -4, -5, -6, -8, -10, leukocyte inhibitory factor, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and interferon-gamma) were assessed both by immunoassay and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction under resting conditions and after activation with tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Under basal conditions most cytokines were not detected, except for interleukin-8 which was produced by T lymphocytes and lymphoid cells. Activation by tumor necrosis factor-alpha induced interleukin-8 production by B lymphocytes. Tonsillar T lymphocytes expressed mRNA for interleukin-1 alpha, -8, -10, -4, leukocyte inhibitory factor, and interferon-gamma, only interleukin-4 was expressed by resting peripheral blood T lymphocytes. Tonsillar B lymphocytes were mRNA positive for interleukin-1 alpha, -8, -10, leukocyte inhibitory factor, and interferon-gamma, these were not expressed by peripheral blood B lymphocytes. Stromal cells constitutively produce interleukin-6 whose levels increased 5 times upon tumor necrosis factor-alpha activation Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and interleukin-8 were detected only after tumor necrosis factor-alpha activation. Only stromal cells constitutively express interleukin-6 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and show a cytokine pattern different from that described for other non-lymphoid cells, such as follicular dendritic cells. These data indicate that in the human tonsil population, lymphoid and non-lymphoid cells can be distinguished by different patterns of cytokine expression.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio di Immunologia e Genetica, Istituto di Ricerca Codivilla Putti, I. O. R., Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lisignoli
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pozzi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Toneguzzi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tomassetti
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Monaco
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Facchini
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D003239:Connective Tissue Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D004727:Endothelium / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014068:Tonsillectomy; D014069:Tonsillitis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha