Mouse CD8+ CD122+ T cells with intermediate TCR increasing with age provide a source of early IFN-gamma production.
Although CD8+ IL-2Rbeta (CD122)+ T cells with intermediate TCR reportedly develop extrathymically, their functions still remain largely unknown. In the present study, we characterized the function of CD8+ CD122+ T cells with intermediate TCR of C57BL/6 mice. The proportion of CD8+ CD122+ T cells in splenocytes gradually increased with age, whereas CD8+ IL-2Rbeta-negative or -low (CD122-) T cells conversely decreased. The IFN-gamma production from splenocytes stimulated with immobilized anti-CD3 Ab in vitro increased with age, whereas the IL-4 production decreased. When sorted CD8+ CD122+ T cells were stimulated in vitro by the anti-CD3 Ab, they promptly produced a much larger amount of IFN-gamma than did CD8+ CD122- T cells or CD4+ T cells, whereas only CD4+ T cells produced IL-4. The depletion of CD8+ CD122+ T cells from whole splenocytes greatly decreased the CD3-stimulated IFN-gamma production and increased the IL-4 production, whereas the addition of sorted CD8+ CD122+ T cells to CD8+ CD122+ T cell-depleted splenocytes restored the IFN-gamma production and partially decreased IL-4 production. It is of interest that CD8+ CD122+ T cells stimulated CD4+ T cells to produce IFN-gamma. The CD3-stimulated IFN-gamma production from each T cell subset was augmented by macrophages. Furthermore, CD3-stimulated CD8+ CD122+ T cells produced an even greater amount of IFN-gamma than did liver NK1.1+ T cells and also showed antitumor cytotoxicity. These results show that CD8+ CD122+ T cells may thus be an important source of early IFN-gamma production and are suggested to be involved in the immunological changes with aging.
Takayama
E
E
Department of Parasiotology, National Defense Medical College, Tokorozawa, Japan.
Seki
S
S
Ohkawa
T
T
Ami
K
K
Habu
Y
Y
Yamaguchi
T
T
Tadakuma
T
T
Hiraide
H
H
D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000502:physiology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002469:Cell Separation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000276:immunology
D017252:CD3 Complex; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma