title: Effect of T-helper cytokine environment on specificity of T-cell responses to mycobacterial 65,000 MW heat-shock protein.
abstract: The purpose of this work was to determine if the fine specificity of T cells differed between mice immunized with an antigen in a T helper 1 (Th1) cytokine-dominated environment as compared with a T helper 2 (Th2) cytokine-dominated environment. It was found that splenic T cells from mice immunized with mycobacterial heat-shock protein (hsp 65) and interleukin-12 (IL-12) produced less interleukin-4 (IL-4) and more interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in response to stimulation with hsp 65 in vitro than did T cells from mice immunized with hsp 65 alone. The T-cell proliferative response to hsp 65 did not differ between the two groups of mice, although the responses were higher than those of T cells from non-immunized mice. Strikingly, T cells from mice given hsp 65 and IL-12 gave significantly higher responses to six peptides (corresponding to the sequence of hsp 65) to which T cells from mice immunized with hsp 65 alone did not respond. It is considered that different epitopes are presented to T cells (possibly owing to changes in antigen processing) if the environment is shifted, by IL-12, from Th2 towards Th1 cytokines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Siew
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Beech
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Elson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002455:Cell Division / Q000276:immunology; D018834:Chaperonin 60; D018833:Chaperonins / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology*; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000276:immunology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000276:immunology; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D018834:Chaperonin 60; D016207:Cytokines; D000939:Epitopes; C074119:heat-shock protein 65, Mycobacterium; D018664:Interleukin-12; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D018833:Chaperonins