title: Cutting edge: differential expression of chemokines in Th1 and Th2 cells is dependent on Stat6 but not Stat4.
abstract: The in vivo function of Th cell subsets is largely dependent on the ability of differentiated CD4+ T cells to be recruited to specific sites and secrete restricted sets of cytokines. In this paper we demonstrate that Th1 and Th2 cells secrete discrete patterns of chemokines, small m.w. cytokines that function as chemoattractants in inflammatory reactions. Th2 cells secrete macrophage-derived chemokine and T cell activation gene 3, and acquisition of this pattern of expression is dependent on Stat6. In contrast, Th1 cells secrete lymphotactin and RANTES, though unlike IFN-gamma, expression of these chemokines is independent of Stat4. We further show that supernatants from activated Th2 cells preferentially induce the chemotaxis of Th2 over Th1 cells, corresponding with Stat6-dependent expression of CCR4 and CCR8 in Th2 cells. These data provide the basis for restricted and direct T cell-mediated cellular recruitment to sites of inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Walther Oncology Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis 46208, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: N W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Lukacs
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Lawless
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Kunkel
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Kaplan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002474:Cell-Free System / Q000276:immunology; D018925:Chemokines / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D002634:Chemotaxis, Leukocyte / Q000276:immunology; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D050797:STAT4 Transcription Factor; D050800:STAT6 Transcription Factor; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018925:Chemokines; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D050797:STAT4 Transcription Factor; D050800:STAT6 Transcription Factor; C494091:Stat4 protein, mouse; C494100:Stat6 protein, mouse; D015534:Trans-Activators