T helper lymphocyte response to respiratory syncytial virus and its components in patients with respiratory allergy and nonatopic controls.
BACKGROUND
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) G protein is involved in Th2-shifted immune response, while F protein has a reverse effect on RSV infection in Th2-prone BALB/c mice. Studies on the human T cell response to F or G protein are few, and the relationship between the immune response to G protein and atopy is not known.


METHODS
We established CD4+ RSV-specific T cell lines (TCLs) from adult patients with respiratory allergic diseases (allergics) or nonatopic controls (controls), and examined proliferative responses and gamma-interferon (IFN-gamma) and interleukin 4 (IL-4) production in these TCLs upon stimulation with RSV, F or G proteins.


RESULTS
32 and 29 RSV-specific oligoclonal TCLs were established from allergics and controls, respectively. IL-4/IFN-gamma in the culture supernatant of antigen-stimulated TCLs was significantly higher in allergics than in controls (p = 0.042). IL-4/IFN-gamma ratios in the culture supernatants of G-protein-reactive TCLs were significantly higher in allergics than in controls (p = 0.016), while no differences in IL-4/IFN-gamma in culture supernatants of F-protein-reactive TCLs were found between allergics and controls (p = 0.787). IL-4/IFN-gamma in the culture supernatants of G-protein-reactive TCLs was significantly higher than those of F-protein-reactive TCLs in allergics (p = 0.023) but not in controls (p = 0.768).


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that the T cell response to RSV is influenced by the atopic diathesis as well as by individual RSV antigens, and that G protein may be an important antigen involved in allergy in humans.
Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan. shimojo@faculty.chiba-u.jp
Naoki
N
Shimojo
Toshiyuki
T
Katsuki
Noriko
N
Tateno
Minako
M
Tomiita
Yoichi
Y
Kohno
D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D012130:Respiratory Hypersensitivity / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D012136:Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / Q000276:immunology*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D007371:Interferon-gamma