title: Cytokine production by CD4+ T-cells responding to antigen presentation by melanoma cells.
abstract: Melanoma cells are unusual because, unlike most epithelial tumours, constitutive expression of HLA class II antigens is common. We have previously demonstrated that a peptide-specific CD4+ T-cell clone proliferates briskly in response to peptide and HLA class II expressing melanoma cell lines derived from metastases. Here we demonstrate that these CD4+ T-cells secrete large amounts of interferon-gamma (IFNgamma) and interleukin-10 (IL10), and insignificant quantities of IL2 or IL4, in response to peptide presentation by both melanoma and autologous B-cells. T-cells produced more IL10 when responding to peptide presentation by melanoma cells compared with B-cells, and less IFNgamma (P<0.01). Addition of IL12 did not alter the cytokines produced but increased the T-cell production of both, especially the production of IL10 in response to peptide presentation by melanoma cells. Our data suggest that differential cytokine production by CD4+ T-cells in response to peptide presentation by HLA class II expressing tumour cells may contribute to tolerance to tumour antigens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA. bradym@mskcc.org
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Brady
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Eckels
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Ree
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002460:Cell Line; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000378:metabolism; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism; D008545:Melanoma / Q000276:immunology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007376:Interleukin-2; D016753:Interleukin-10; D018664:Interleukin-12; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma