title: Differential cytokine gene expression in CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subsets of calves.
abstract: The distinct patterns of cytokine expression in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells are well understood in mice and humans. However, little information is available about cytokine expression in bovine CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. In this study, mRNA expression of 19 different cytokines was analyzed in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells of calves with or without Concanavalin A (Con A) stimulation. CD4+ and CD8+ T cell populations were enriched to 98% purity by positive selection using magnetic cell sorting (MACS). CD4+ T cells spontaneously expressed the mRNAs of interleukin-1alpha (IL-1alpha), IL-1beta, IL-2, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, IL-18, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, TNF-beta and TGF-beta, and augmented the mRNA expression of IL-10, IFN-gamma and TNF-beta after Con A stimulation. The mRNAs of IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 and GM-CSF were newly expressed in Con A-stimulated CD4+ T cells. CD8+ T cells displayed spontaneous mRNA expression of IL-6, IL-18, TNF-alpha, TNF-beta and TGF-beta, and newly expressed the mRNA of IL-2, IL-7, interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and GM-CSF after Con A stimulation. It was found that CD4+ T cells expressed the mRNA of 17 cytokines except for IL-12 and IL-15, while CD8+ T cells expressed only the mRNA of 9 cytokines after Con A stimulation. The profile of cytokine mRNA expression was substantially different in the CD4+ and CD8+ T cells of calves, indicating that CD4+ T cells can be distinguished from CD8+ T cells by the cytokine gene expression of IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, IL-8, IL-10 and IL-13. Differential cytokine expression between CD4+ and CD8+ T cells serve to interpret an individual function of T cell subsets in the immune system of calves.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Functional Morphology, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 1-1 Tsutsumidori-Amamiyamachi, Aoba-ku, 981-8555 Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Sachi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Hisashi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aso
authors.forename: Kohtaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miyazawa
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nagai
authors.forename: Kouichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Shyuichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ohwada
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002417:Cattle; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D003208:Concanavalin A