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Lack of IL-12 signaling in human allergen-specific Th2 cells

Lookup NU author(s): Professor Catharien HilkensORCiD

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Abstract

IL-12 is a powerful skewer of CD4+ T cell responses toward the Th1 phenotype by inducing IFN-gamma production in naive Th cells. In the present study we addressed the question of whether IL-12 can reverse established Th2 responses into Th1/Th0 responses by inducing IFN-gamma production in memory Th2 cells. To this aim, allergen-specific CD4+ T cell clones (TCC) were generated from the peripheral blood of three atopic patients, and their cytokine profiles were analyzed. The majority of these TCC exhibited a strongly polarized Th2 cytokine profile, and the production of IFN-gamma could not be induced by exogenous IL-12. Only those TCC with low IFN-gamma levels in the absence of IL-12 responded to IL-12 by additional enhancement of IFN-gamma production. The IL-12 nonresponsiveness of the Th2 clones was further evident by the total lack of IL-12-induced phosphorylation of STAT4 (signal transducer and activator of transcription-4), a transcription factor that is typically involved in IL-12 signaling. Consequently, IL-12 also failed to induce the DNA-binding activity of STAT4-containing complexes in the nuclei of these Th2 clones. All TCC expressed equal levels of the low-affinity IL-12R beta1 subunit. Our results indicate that human allergen-specific Th cells with strongly polarized Th2 cytokine profiles do not respond to IL-12 and, therefore, cannot be induced to produce IFN-gamma. The apparent high frequency of IL-12-nonresponsive Th cells within the allergen-specific populations in atopic patients predicts a limited skewing potential of IL-12 in the case of established Th2 responses, but only affecting newly recruited naive Th cells.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Hilkens CM, Messer G, Tesselaar K, van Rietschoten AG, Kapsenberg ML, Wierenga EA

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Journal of Immunology

Year: 1996

Volume: 157

Issue: 10

Pages: 4316-4321

Print publication date: 15/11/1996

ISSN (print): 0022-1767

ISSN (electronic): 1550-6606

Publisher: American Association of Immunologists

Notes: 0022-1767 Journal Article

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