Single expression of CD45RC and RT6 in correlation with T-helper 1 and T-helper 2 cytokine patterns in the rat.
Previous studies involving the function and development of peripheral T cells have proposed that, in the rat, CD4(+)CD45RC(+)RT6(-) and CD4(+)CD45RC(-)RT6(+) T-cell subsets may represent Th1 and Th2 cells, respectively. Here we tested this hypothesis directly by analyzing frequencies of IFN-gamma- and IL-4-producing cells in these two subpopulations using ELISPOT assays. We found that the CD4(+)CD45RC(-)RT6(+) subset showed higher numbers of IL-4-producing cells than the CD4(+)CD45RC(+)RT6(-) subset and, though less pronounced, that the latter demonstrated higher numbers of IFN-gamma producers. Therefore, we conclude that our results provide evidence for the existence of phenotypically defined Th1 and Th2 cells in the rat. This is supported by the finding that the ratios of IFN-gamma/IL-4 and CD45RC/RT6 correlated positively among various rat strains. Finally, rat strains susceptible to induction of a Th1-mediated autoimmune disease showed the highest CD45RC/RT6 ratio, whereas the reverse was true for strains susceptible to a Th2-mediated autoimmune disease.
Hylkema
M N
MN
Department of Histology and Cell Biology, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
van der Deen
M
M
Pater
J M
JM
Kampinga
J
J
Nieuwenhuis
P
P
Groen
H
H
D036002:ADP Ribose Transferases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000818:Animals; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051381:Rats; D011914:Rats, Inbred BN; D011915:Rats, Inbred BUF; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013045:Species Specificity; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000378:metabolism*
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016207:Cytokines; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D036002:ADP Ribose Transferases; C090163:Art2b protein, rat; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens