Human gammadelta T cells modulate the mite allergen-specific T-helper type 2-skewed immunity.
BACKGROUND
Gammadelta T cells have been described as one of immune regulators in patients with infection, malignancy, and allergy.


OBJECTIVE
To elucidate the ability of gammadelta T cells as an allergen immunotherapy candidate, the effectiveness of human gammadelta T cells in allergen-specific T-helper type 2 (Th2)-type T cells was evaluated in vitro.


METHODS
House dust mite-specific Th2-type T cell clones, Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG)-specific Th1-type T cell clones, and gammadelta T cell lines were established from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of two patients with allergic rhinitis. The effectiveness of gammadelta T cells and BCG-specific Th1-type T cell clones in the modulation of allergen-specific Th2 cells in terms of their cytokine productions was evaluated.


RESULTS
In response to cognate antigens, the gammadelta T cell lines demonstrated a proliferation and production of IFN-gamma that exceeded that of BCG-specific Th1-type T cell clones (mean stimulation index: 14.5 vs. 2.8, mean IFN-gamma: 130.5 vs. 10.0 pg/mL). When the gammadelta T cell lines and mite-allergen-specific Th2 clones were co-cultured with each other, only the levels of IL-4 (mean, -87%) decreased, but not the levels of IL-5 and IL-13, with an increasing concentration of gammadelta T cell antigen and IFN-gamma production (mean, +730%).


CONCLUSIONS
These results demonstrated that gammadelta T cells derived from allergic patients might thus have a partial ability to modulate allergen-specific Th2-skewed immunity.
Korematsu
S
S
Department of Brain and Nerve Science, Division of Pediatrics and Child Neurology, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Oita, Japan. kseigo@med.oita-u.ac.jp
Tanaka
Y
Y
Nagakura
T
T
Minato
N
N
Izumi
T
T
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D060829:Arthropod Proteins; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000378:metabolism; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000276:immunology*; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014373:Tuberculin / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology
D000941:Antigens; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D060829:Arthropod Proteins; C451160:Dermatophagoides farinae antigen f 2; C508598:IL4 protein, human; C508599:IL5 protein, human; D018793:Interleukin-13; D015848:Interleukin-5; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D014373:Tuberculin; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma