title: IL-17 production by thymocytes upon CD3 stimulation and costimulation with microbial factors.
abstract: IL-17 is a potent proinflammatory cytokine produced by activated memory T cells. Recent studies in both human autoimmune diseases and in their animal models have indicated that IL-17 rather than IFN-gamma might be the essential T-cell effector cytokine in the T-cell mediated autoimmune process. Since the thymus has a central role in maintaining T-cell self-tolerance and disturbance of thymic self-tolerance is implied in various autoimmune diseases, we here investigated the capability of murine thymocytes to produce IL-17. Our results indicate that thymocytes are a potent source of IL-17 in response to CD3 stimulation and various microbial immune stimuli and thereby show different patterns in the expression of the proinflammatory cytokines IFN-gamma and IL-17. In addition, strong differences between thymocytes and splenocytes were detected. Altered IL-17 production by thymocytes upon contact with foreign pathogens might be a key regulator in the education of adaptive immunity.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Group for Multiple Sclerosis, Department of Neurology, University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Strasse 11, 97080 Würzburg, Germany. hofstetter_h@klinik.uni-wuerzburg.de
authors.forename: Harald H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Hofstetter
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lühder
authors.forename: Klaus V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Toyka
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gold
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000276:immunology*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002772:Cholera Toxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D037342:Pertussis Toxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017252:CD3 Complex; D020381:Interleukin-17; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D002772:Cholera Toxin; D037342:Pertussis Toxin