Interleukin-23 promotes a distinct CD4 T cell activation state characterized by the production of interleukin-17.
Interleukin (IL)-17 is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that is produced by activated T cells. Despite increasing evidence that high levels of IL-17 are associated with several chronic inflammatory diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and multiple sclerosis, the regulation of its expression is not well characterized. We observe that IL-17 production is increased in response to the recently described cytokine IL-23. We present evidence that murine IL-23, which is produced by activated dendritic cells, acts on memory T cells, resulting in elevated IL-17 secretion. IL-23 also induced expression of the related cytokine IL-17F. IL-23 is a heterodimeric cytokine and shares a subunit, p40, with IL-12. In contrast to IL-23, IL-12 had only marginal effects on IL-17 production. These data suggest that during a secondary immune response, IL-23 can promote an activation state with features distinct from the well characterized Th1 and Th2 profiles.
Aggarwal
Sudeepta
S
Department of Molecular Biology, Genentech, South San Francisco, California 94080, USA.
Ghilardi
Nico
N
Xie
Ming-Hong
MH
de Sauvage
Frederic J
FJ
Gurney
Austin L
AL
D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D053759:Interleukin-23; D053760:Interleukin-23 Subunit p19; D007378:Interleukins / Q000502:physiology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
C508841:Il23a protein, mouse; D020381:Interleukin-17; D053759:Interleukin-23; D053760:Interleukin-23 Subunit p19; D007378:Interleukins; D012333:RNA, Messenger