Identification of two distinct subpopulations of Leishmania major-specific T helper 2 cells.
It is widely accepted that a strong Th2 response is responsible for nonhealing Leishmania major infections in BALB/c mice. This Th2 response has been thoroughly documented by measuring the levels of Th2 cytokines produced by CD4(+) T cells present in the lymphoid organs by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and PCR. However, the cytokine profile of L. major-specific Th2 cells has never been determined. In this study, we used the recently described Th2 marker T1/ST2 to characterize Th2 cells during the course of nonhealing L. major infection. We analyzed the intracellular cytokine profile of CD4(+) T1/ST2(+) T cells and showed that they clearly displayed a Th2 phenotype, as they expressed interleukin 4 (IL-4), IL-10, and IL-5. In addition, we detected another population of Th2 cells among the CD4(+) T1/ST2(-) T cells that expressed IL-4 and IL-10 but excluded IL-5. In summary, we show here that two type 2 subpopulations are present in the lymphoid organs of L. major-infected BALB/c mice; Th2 cells from both subsets expressed IL-4 and IL-10, but they could be distinguished by their expression of IL-5 and T1/ST2.
Kropf
Pascale
P
Department of Immunology, Division of Investigative Science, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
Herath
Shanti
S
Tewari
Rita
R
Syed
Nelofer
N
Klemenz
Roman
R
Müller
Ingrid
I
D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor; D015870:Gene Expression; D018320:Leishmania major / Q000276:immunology*; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics; D000098815:T-bet Transcription Factor
D016207:Cytokines; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor; C494748:Gata3 protein, mouse; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins; D000098815:T-bet Transcription Factor; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors