Interleukin-5 mRNA stability in human T cells is regulated differently than interleukin-2, interleukin-3, interleukin-4, granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and interferon-gamma.

Interleukin-5 (IL-5) transcriptional activation and mRNA stability were investigated in a human TH0 T-cell clone (SP-B21) and in nonclonal CD4 TH2 cells, differentiated in vitro from peripheral blood T cells. Cells were stimulated with alpha-CD3 monoclonal antibody (mAb) with and without alpha-CD28 mAb. Comparison to other cytokine genes revealed aspects of mRNA regulation unique to IL-5. The half-life (t1/2) of IL-5 mRNA, determined by addition of actinomycin D (ActinoD) or cyclosporin A (CSA) was longer (by >= 2 h) than that of IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, interferon-gamma, or granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor. With the exception of IL-5, t1/2 values were significantly shorter with CSA as the transcriptional inhibitor than with ActinoD. The t1/2 value of IL-5 mRNA, but not the other cytokine transcripts, determined with either ActinoD or CSA, was longer than predicted from the kinetics of steady-state mRNA decline. Co-stimulation of both cell types with alpha-CD28 mAb increased the stability of cytokine transcripts weakly, and IL-5 remained the most stable transcript. Thus, the degradation pathway that targets IL-5 is distinct from the other cytokine transcripts measured and involves proteins whose transcription is blocked by ActinoD and CSA. From examination of the levels of transcription initiation (nuclear run-on assay) and steady-state mRNA attained in cultures stimulated in the presence of the protein synthesis inhibitor, cycloheximide, only IL-5 transcription initiation had an absolute dependency on new protein synthesis.

Eosinophils retain their granule major basic protein in a murine model of allergic pulmonary inflammation.

Accumulation of eosinophils in the lung with concomitant tissue damage are defining histopathologic features of human asthma. Through degranulation and the release of proinflammatory proteins such as major basic protein (MBP), eosinophils may perpetuate this inflammatory response. We investigated the extent of eosinophil degranulation in a murine model of allergic pulmonary inflammation. In this paradigm, the mice develop pulmonary eosinophilia, mucus hypersecretion, tissue damage, and airway edema and hyperreactivity. To evaluate the degree of eosinophil degranulation, we used a polyclonal antibody to murine MBP (mMBP) to perform dot blot analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells and fluids, and immunohistochemical fluorescent analysis of lung tissue sections. After ovalbumin antigen challenge, we were unable to detect immunoreactive mMBP in the BAL fluids from either nonsensitized or sensitized mice. However, after lysis of the recoverable BAL cells, we were able to detect mMBP by immunoblot analysis, with the levels of immunoreactive mMBP directly related to the number of recoverable eosinophils. We also examined paraffin-embedded, lung tissue sections for patterns of mMBP deposition. Whereas lung sections from allergic mice revealed prominent peribronchial eosinophilia after antigen challenge, tissue sections from nonsensitized animals rarely displayed eosinophils. Despite the presence of numerous eosinophils, no immunohistologic evidence of extracellular mMBP could be found in antigen-challenged allergic mice. Furthermore, rechallenged allergic mice displayed a significant increase in the number of recruited pulmonary eosinophils but all immunoreactive mMBP was still intracellular. We conclude that the recruited pulmonary eosinophils have not substantially degranulated. These results suggest that, in this murine model of allergic inflammation, eosinophil degranulation and release of mMBP does not contribute to the observed pulmonary inflammation and airway hyperreactivity.

The inhibitory effects of topically active glucocorticoids on IL-4, IL-5, and interferon-gamma production by cultured primary CD4+ T cells.

This study was conducted to directly compare the in vitro efficacy and potency of several glucocorticoids in inhibiting T-cell cytokine production. The glucocorticoids tested were fluticasone propionate, budesonide, triamcinolone acetonide, and beclomethasone dipropionate, which are currently inhaled therapies for the treatment of allergic airway disease. Also used were betamethasone phosphate and the newly developed mometasone furorate. With a novel cell culture system, purified peripheral blood CD4+ T cells from normal donors were stimulated with immobilized anti-CD3 and soluble anti-CD28 monoclonal antibodies to induce high levels of IL-4, IL-5, and interferon-gamma. By cell sorting, it was found that the IL-5 produced originated from memory cells, whereas both memory and naive cells produced interferon-gamma. Mometasone and fluticasone inhibited IL-5 and IL-4 similarly (mometasone IL-5 inhibitory concentration of 50% = 0.27 +/- 0.1 nmol/L and IL-4 = 0.19 +/- 0.08 nmol/L). For both cytokines, the results indicate that mometasone and fluticasone were more potent than beclomethasone, triamcinolone, budesonide, and betamethasone. Of clinical importance is the finding that all steroids demonstrated less efficacy versus interferon-gamma than IL-4 and IL-5. Glucocorticoid reduction of Th2 cytokines with lesser effects on interferon-gamma would serve to reverse the exaggerated Th2 response that contributes to pathophysiology observed in allergic disease. Therefore the use of topically active glucocorticoids with low systemic bioactivity for the treatment of allergic inflammation may be particularly effective in modulating the cytokine activity that is an important component of the allergic response.

Effects of in vivo administration of interferon (IFN)-gamma, anti-IFN-gamma, or anti-interleukin-4 monoclonal antibodies in chronic autoimmune graft-versus-host disease.

These studies examined the role of cytokines in chronic autoimmune graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in B6D2F1 mice injected with lymphoid cells from DBA/2 mice. Anti-interleukin (IL)-4 and anti-interferon (IFN)-gamma mAb, or IFN-gamma, were used in vivo to modulate B cell hyperactivity and disease. Kinetic experiments showed that, 2-3 weeks after induction, GVH mice had 100x elevated serum IgE, while IgG1 and IgG2a were 10x above normal. Early treatment with anti-IL-4 mAb or IFN-gamma decreased serum IgE and IgG1 and had no effect on IgG2a. Anti-IFN-gamma mAb treatment increased serum IgE and IgG1 while reducing IgG2a. This increase in serum immunoglobulins could be correlated with an increased spontaneous secretion of IL-4, IL-5, and IL-6 in spleen cell cultures from anti-IFN-gamma mAb-treated GVH mice. While neither anti-IFN-gamma nor IFN-gamma treatments altered the disease course, anti-IL-4 treatment delayed proteinuria and death in GVH mice. These observations suggest an important role for IL-4 in immune complex-mediated glomerulonephritis in chronic GVHD.