In vitro differentiation of peripheral blood T cells towards a type 2 phenotype is impaired in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
We have examined the capacity of peripheral blood T cells from RA patients to be polarized in vitro towards a type 1 (T1) or a type 2 (T2) phenotype. Peripheral blood T cells from RA patients and from healthy donors were primed by 1 week of culture with soluble OKT3 in the presence of polarizing cytokines. The recovered T cells were restimulated and their cytokine secretion profile determined. Priming of T cells from RA patients in the presence of recombinant (r)IL-2 plus rIL-12 induced a shift towards a TI pattern, characterized by increased production of interferon-gamma, that was more pronounced than in the case of healthy donors. Conversely, priming of T cells from RA patients in the presence of IL-4 failed to induce a shift towards a T2 profile after 1 week, whereas it induced T cells from healthy donors to acquire such a profile characterized by heightened production of IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13. However, a T2 polarization profile emerged in T cells from RA patients that were primed in the presence of rIL-4 and subsequently maintained in culture in rIL-2 alone for 1 or 2 additional weeks. We conclude that in vitro differentiation of peripheral T cells towards a type 2 phenotype is impaired in RA. Nevertheless, conditions required to drive peripheral T cells towards a type 2 phenotype were established. Administration of autologous polyclonal T cells expressing a type 2 cytokine secretion profile is proposed as a therapeutic strategy in RA.
Asselin
S
S
INSERM U477, Hôpital Cochin, Université René Descartes, Paris, France.
Conjeaud
H
H
Fradelizi
D
D
Breban
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D002455:Cell Division; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D017730:Ki-1 Antigen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D019891:Leukopoiesis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D016169:Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051379:Mice; D008875:Middle Aged; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D000093322:Lymphocyte Activation Gene 3 Protein
D015703:Antigens, CD; D007376:Interleukin-2; D017730:Ki-1 Antigen; D016169:Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D015847:Interleukin-4; D000093322:Lymphocyte Activation Gene 3 Protein