S E Macatonia
T cell genetic background determines default T helper phenotype development in vitro.
C S Hsieh, S E Macatonia, A O'Garra, K M Murphy
A host's ability to resist certain pathogens such as Leishmania major can depend upon the phenotype of T helper (Th) subset that develops. Different murine genetic backgrounds are known to significantly alter the direction of Th subset development, although the cellular basis of this influence is poorly understood. To examine the basis of this effect we used an in vitro alpha/beta-T cell receptor (TCR) transgenic system for analysis of Th phenotype development. To control for TCR usage, we derived the DO11.10 alpha/beta-TCR transgene in several genetic backgrounds. Our findings suggest that the effects of genetic background on Th phenotype development reside within the T cell, and not the antigen-presenting cell compartment. Transgenic T cells from both the B10.D2 and BALB/c backgrounds showed development toward either the Th1 or Th2 phenotype under the strong directing influence of interleukin (IL) 12 and IL4, respectively. However, when T cells were activated in vitro under neutral conditions in which exogenous cytokines were not added, B10.D2-derived T cells acquired a significantly stronger Th1 phenotype than T cells from the BALB/c background, correspondent with in vivo Th responses to Leishmania in these strains. Importantly, these cytokine differences resulted in distinct functional properties, because B10.D2- but not BALB/c-derived T cells could induce macrophage production of nitric oxide, an important antimicrobial factor. Thus, the genetically determined default Th phenotype development observed in vitro may correspond to in vivo Th subset responses for pathogens such as Leishmania which do not initiate strong Th phenotype-directing signals.
B7 and interleukin 12 cooperate for proliferation and interferon gamma production by mouse T helper clones that are unresponsive to B7 costimulation.
E E Murphy, G Terres, S E Macatonia, C S Hsieh, J Mattson ...
We have previously shown that dendritic cells isolated after overnight culture, which can express B7 and are potent stimulators of naive T cell proliferation, are relatively poor at inducing the proliferation of a panel of murine T helper 1 (Th1) clones. Maximal stimulation of Th1 clones was achieved using unseparated splenic antigen presenting cells (APC). An explanation for these findings is provided in the present study where we show that FcR+ L cells transfected with B7 stimulate minimal proliferation of Th1 clones in response to anti-CD3 antibodies, in contrast to induction of significant proliferation of naive T cells. However, addition of interleukin 12 (IL-12) to cultures of Th1 cells stimulated with anti-CD3 and FcR+ B7 transfectants resulted in a very pronounced increase in proliferation and interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) production. Exogenous IL-12 did not affect the B7-induced proliferation of naive T cells. This showed that whereas costimulatory signals delivered via B7-CD28 interaction are sufficient to induce significant proliferation of naive T cells activated through occupancy of the T cell receptor, Th1 T cell clones require cooperative costimulation by B7 and IL-12. This costimulation was shown to be specific by inhibition of proliferation and IFN-gamma production using chimeric soluble cytolytic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4-human IgG1Fc (CTLA4-Ig) and anti-IL-12 antibodies. Furthermore, the significant antigen specific proliferation and IFN-gamma production by Th1 clones observed when splenocytes were used as APC was almost completely abrogated using CTLA4-Ig and anti-IL-12 antibodies. Thus two costimulatory signals, B7 and IL-12, account for the ability of splenic APC to induce maximal stimulation of Th1 clones. IL-10 downregulates the expression of IL-12 by IFN-gamma-stimulated macrophages and this may account largely for t the ability of IL-10 to inhibit APC function of splenic and macrophage APC for the induction of Th1 cell proliferation and IFN-gamma production. Indeed we show that IL-12 can overcome the inhibitory effect of IL-10 for the APC-dependent induction of proliferation and IFN-gamma production by Th1 clones. These results suggest that proliferation by terminally differentiated Th1 clones, in contrast to naive T cells, requires stimulation via membrane-bound B7 and a cytokine, IL-12. It is possible that these signals may result in the activation of unresponsive T cells during an inflammatory response. IL-10, by its role in regulating such innate inflammatory responses, may thus help to maintain these T cells in an unresponsive state.
Primary stimulation by dendritic cells induces antiviral proliferative and cytotoxic T cell responses in vitro.
S E Macatonia, P M Taylor, S C Knight, B A Askonas
We used well-gassed hanging drop (20 microliters) cultures with high concentrations of purified T cells from normal BALB/c mice to examine whether dendritic cells (DC) can induce primary antiviral proliferative T cell responses and generate virus-specific CTL. We found that DC exposed to infectious influenza virus in vitro or in vivo in small numbers (0.1-1%) resulted in strong proliferation of responder T cells within 3 d, and this was strongly inhibited by antibodies to class II MHC molecules. In addition, in 5-d cultures, the influenza-treated DC generated CTL specifically able to lyse influenza-infected syngeneic target cells bearing MHC class I antigens. The most potent nucleoprotein (NP) epitope recognized by BALB/c CTL is peptide 147-158 (Arg156-) and influenza-infected DC in vitro stimulated CTL recognizing this peptide, thus mimicking the response in mice primed by intranasal influenza infection. We also induced T cell proliferation and virus-specific CTL in cultures of normal T cells by stimulating with DC pulsed with the natural NP sequence 147-158 or the potent peptide 147-158 (Arg156-). Small numbers of peritoneal exudate cells, after activation with Con A to produce class II MHC expression and after removal of DC with a specific mAb (33DI), did not lead to primary CTL generation but initiated secondary stimulation in vitro. Our results using the hanging drop culture method and DC as APC have implications for studying the T cell repertoire for viral components in humans without the necessity of previous immunization.
Localization of antigen on lymph node dendritic cells after exposure to the contact sensitizer fluorescein isothiocyanate. Functional and morphological studies.
S E Macatonia, S C Knight, A J Edwards, S Griffiths, P Fryer
We have examined the cells involved in the development of contact sensitivity to FITC in CBA mice. After skin painting with antigen, the number of dendritic cells (DC) in the draining lymph nodes increased by 30 min, was maximal at 48 h, and returned to normal by 6 d. Derivation of some DC from Langerhans' cells of the skin was indicated from the presence of Birbeck granules observed in some DC isolated 24 h after skin painting. The DC acquired FITC and by 8 h there were two populations, one highly fluorescent and the other less fluorescent. The highly fluorescent cells were present between 8 h and 3 d after sensitization, and during this period the DC were potent at initiating primary proliferative responses of normal syngeneic T lymphocytes in vitro. Between days 3 and 5 the numbers of lymphocytes in the draining lymph node increased. During this period purified T lymphocytes did not express detectable levels of antigen, but enriched B cell populations expressed antigen transiently on day 1, 2, or 3 after exposure to antigen. The results showed that, during a 3-d period after exposure to antigen, DC expressed antigen and stimulated T cell proliferation. We speculate that low amounts of FITC binding selectively to veiled cells or lymph node DC in the first hours after exposure to antigen are not immunogenic but that Langerhans' cells acquire high levels of antigen, enter the nodes, and initiate immune responses.