title: Cytokine induced modulation of MHC class I and class II molecules on human cervical epithelial cells.
abstract: Our purpose was to determine the expression of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and class II gene products as well as the costimulatory molecules B7-1 and B7-2 on cervical epithelial cells, and to determine to what extent inflammatory cytokines regulate their expression. Immunohistology and flow cytometry techniques were used to identify and quantify MHC class I and class II molecules, and the costimulatory molecules B7.1 and B7.2, on sections and primary epithelial cell cultures of human endo- and ectocervix. MHC class I but not class II molecules were constitutively expressed on tissue sections and primary epithelial cell cultures derived from endo- and ectocervix. Expression of MHC class I and class II was upregulated in vitro by IFN-gamma in a time and dose dependent fashion. The induction of class II expression was more pronounced on ectocervical cells than on endocervical cells. MHC class I but not class II expression was also enhanced by IFN-alpha as well as TNF-alpha. TNF-alpha and TGF-beta1 inhibited the IFN-gamma induced MHC class II expression. Expression of the costimulatory molecules B7-1 and B7-2 were not detected in tissue sections or on resting or cytokine-treated cervical epithelial cells in vitro. The present results support the concept that endo- and ectocervical epithelial cells, like their counterparts at other mucosal sites. constitutively express MHC class I molecules and can express MHC class II upon cytokine stimulation, indicating that they are capable of presenting antigens to T-cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ljunggren
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018122:B7-1 Antigen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051940:B7-2 Antigen; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000502:physiology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000502:physiology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000502:physiology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051379:Mice; D008875:Middle Aged; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000502:physiology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D018122:B7-1 Antigen; D051940:B7-2 Antigen; C497964:CD86 protein, human; C497965:Cd86 protein, mouse; D016207:Cytokines; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma