Interleukin-10 stimulates hematopoiesis in murine osteogenic stroma.

Bone marrow from 5-fluorouracil-treated mice support osteogenesis when cultured in the presence of beta-glycerophosphate and vitamin C. These cultures are unable to support the growth of granulocyte/macrophage colony-forming units for longer than 2 weeks. In contrast, granulocyte/macrophage colony-forming units were detected for more than 6 weeks in interleukin-10 (IL-10)-treated cultures. In addition, IL-10-treated cultures contain long-term culture initiating cells, suggesting the presence of pluripotent hematopoietic cells. Apparently, IL-10 does not directly stimulate the proliferation of granulocyte/macrophage colony-forming units. Interleukin-10 is unable to stimulate [3H]-thymidine incorporation or to increase the number of granulocyte/macrophage colony-forming units in cell suspensions harvested from untreated or interleukin-10-treated bone marrow cultures. Interleukin-10 acts via an indirect pathway. Because exogenous transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) reverses IL-10's stimulatory activity on myeloid progenitors, IL-10 most likely works by blocking TGF-beta synthesis, which acts as an endogenous suppressor of hematopoiesis in osteogenic marrow cultures. This is shown further by the increased numbers of granulocyte/macrophage colony-forming units in cultures treated with neutralizing anti TGF-beta antibodies (1D11.16). Interleukin-10 and 1D11.16 change the cultured bone marrow stroma from an osteogenic into a hematopoietic morphology. It may be that by blocking endogenous TGF-beta production, IL-10 drives marrow mesenchymal cells away from osteogenic differentiation toward hematopoietic support.

Role of intracellular Ca2+ levels in the regulation of CD11a/CD18 mediated cell adhesion.

CD2, CD3, and MHC class II have been demonstrated to stimulate lymphocyte function-associated antigen (LFA)-1 (CD11a/CD18) mediated adhesion (Van Kooyk et al., 1989, Dustin and Springer, 1989; Mourad et al., 1990). Activation of LFA-1 may be mediated by different intracellular signals generated from these stimuli, since previous findings suggest that triggering of LFA-1 through CD2 or CD3 leads to sustained and transient cell adhesion respectively (Van Kooyk et al., 1989). We investigated the role of intracellular signalling pathways in more detail. The results demonstrate that, in addition to protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) and protein kinase C (PKC) mediated signalling, increase in cytosolic-free calcium ([Ca2+]i) levels play a major role in the activation of LFA-1. The calcium ionophore Ionomycin, which increases [Ca2+]i is capable of directly activating LFA-1. Furthermore, activation of LFA-1 by triggering through CD2, CD3 or MHC class II is associated with an increase in [Ca2+]i levels, with kinetics that directly correlate with cell adhesiveness. Moreover, entry of extracellular Ca2+ via Ca-channels is involved in both the CD3- and MHC class II, as well as part of the CD2 induced LFA-1 activation. Depletion of intracellular calcium results in unresponsiveness of LFA-1 to these stimuli, further demonstrating a regulatory role for [Ca2+]i in LFA-1 mediated adhesion.

Skewing to the LFA-3 adhesion pathway by influenza infection of antigen-presenting cells.

The effect of influenza (FLU) infection on heterotypic conjugate formation between antigen-presenting cells and T lymphocytes has been studied with FLU-specific T cell clones and FLU-infected B-lymphoblastoid cells (B-LCL). Conjugate formation between FLU-infected B-LCL (FLU+ B-LCL) and T cells was found to be consistently enhanced in comparison with peptide-sensitized or uninfected B-LCL. Treatment of B-LCL with exogenous neuraminidase (NA-NAse) similarly enhanced conjugate formation indicating that increased conjugate formation may be mediated by the viral neuraminidase. Monoclonal antibody blocking experiments revealed that the contribution by CD2/LFA-3 is increased relative to that of LFA-1/ICAM-1 in conjugates between FLU+ B-LCL or NANAse-treated B-LCL and T cell clones. In contrast, both pathways of adhesion contributed equally to conjugate formation between peptide-sensitized B-LCL or control B-LCL and T cell clones. Thus, FLU infection causes increased conjugate formation between antigen-presenting cells and T cells and skews towards CD2/LFA-3-dependent adhesion, independent of T cell receptor signalling.

IL-10 stimulates monocyte Fc gamma R surface expression and cytotoxic activity. Distinct regulation of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity by IFN-gamma, IL-4, and IL-10.

T cell-derived cytokines IFN-gamma and IL-4 have different regulatory effects on two functionally important molecules on human monocytes: MHC class II Ag and the Fc receptor for monomeric IgG, Fc gamma RI (CD64). MHC class II Ag, and Fc gamma RI are both upregulated in the presence of IFN-gamma. IL-4 induces MHC class II Ag expression but reduces Fc gamma RI expression. Recently, we showed that the cytokine IL-10 also affects MHC class II Ag expression. Here, we demonstrate that in contrast to the down-regulation of MHC class II Ag expression, IL-10 stimulates Fc gamma RI expression on human monocytes comparable to the levels of Fc gamma RI expression induced by IFN-gamma. The IL-10-induced Fc gamma RI expression is specific because anti-IL-10 antibodies completely reverse the IL-10-induced surface expression of Fc gamma RI and correlate with an enhanced capacity to lyse anti-D-coated human rhesus-positive erythrocytes. IL-10 fails to induce the expression of Fc gamma RII (CD32) and Fc gamma RIII (CD16). Furthermore, we demonstrate that IL-10 is able to prevent down-regulation in surface membrane expression of all three Fc gamma R that can be found when monocytes are cultured in the presence of IL-4. In contrast to IFN-gamma, IL-10 does not restore the reduced antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) activity of IL-4-cultured monocytes. Together, these results show that, similar to IFN-gamma, IL-10 is capable of enhancing Fc gamma R expression and ADCC activity, and that IFN-gamma, IL-4, and IL-10 have different regulatory effects on both monocyte Ag-presenting capacity and ADCC activity.

Selection of a human T helper type 1-like T cell subset by mycobacteria.

Mycobacteria elicit a cellular immune response in their hosts. This response usually leads to protective immunity, but may sometimes be accompanied by immunopathology due to delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH). A striking example in man is tuberculoid leprosy, which is characterized by high cellular immunity to Mycobacterium leprae and immunopathology due to DTH. Skin lesions of patients suffering from this disease have the characteristics of DTH reactions in which macrophages and CD4+ T lymphocytes predominate. In animal models, it has been shown that DTH responses are associated with the presence of a particular subset of CD4+ T cells (T helper type 1 [Th1]) that secrete only certain cytokines, such as interleukin 2 (IL-2), interferon gamma (IFN-gamma), and lymphotoxin, but no IL-4 or IL-5. We studied the cytokine release of activated M. leprae-reactive CD4+ T cell clones derived from tuberculoid leprosy patients. These T cell clones, which were reactive with mycobacterial heat shock proteins, exhibited a Th1-like cytokine secretion pattern with very high levels of IFN-gamma. Half of these clones secreted low levels of IL-4 and IL-5, but the ratio of IFN-gamma to IL-4 and IL-5 was much higher than that of T cell clones reactive with nonmycobacterial antigens. A Th1-like cytokine secretion pattern was also observed for T cell clones and polyclonal T cell lines from control individuals that recognized both heat shock and other mycobacterial antigens. The levels of IFN-gamma secreted by these clones were, however, significantly less than those of patient-derived T cell clones. This Th1-like pattern was not found with T cell clones from the same patients and healthy individuals generated in the same manner, but reactive with nonmycobacterial antigens. Our data thus indicate that mycobacteria selectively induce human T cells with a Th1-like cytokine secretion profile.

Comparative analysis of CD8 expressed on mature CD4+ CD8+ T cell clones cultured with IL-4 and that on CD8+ T cell clones: implication for functional significance of CD8 beta.

Interleukin (IL-4) can induce CD8 expression on mature CD4+ T cells. To study this phenomenon in more detail, we characterized CD8 expressed on IL-4-induced CD4+ CD8+ (double positive) T cell clones in comparison with that on CD8+ T cell clones. Using 2ST8-5H7 mAb that detects CD8 beta expression, we found that double positive T cell clones isolated with IL-4 express CD8 alpha but not beta, in contrast to CD8+ CTL cell clones, which express both chains of CD8. Northern blot analysis revealed that these double positive clones expressed CD8 alpha but not beta mRNA, indicating that CD8 alpha and beta are independently regulated at the pre-translational level. Immunoprecipitation experiments showed that CD8 expressed on a representative IL-4-induced double positive T cell clone consists mainly of homodimers of a single 34 kd protein of CD8 alpha. The amount of multimers detected from this clone was much less than that from a CD8+ CTL clone. These results suggest that persistent expression of CD8 beta is specific for the CD8+ lineage and may be involved in polymerization and stabilization of CD8 which enhances the efficiency of class I-restricted antigen recognition.

Regulation of human IgE synthesis. I. Human IgE synthesis in vitro is determined by the reciprocal antagonistic effects of interleukin 4 and interferon-gamma.

In the present study culture conditions resulting in optimal IgE synthesis by mononuclear cells (MNC) isolated from peripheral blood, tonsils or spleens from healthy nonallergic donors were investigated. The highest rate of IgE synthesis was obtained in a two-step culture system in which the MNC were preincubated with interleukin 4 (IL4; 200 U/ml) for 48 h, washed and subsequently incubated with IL4 (200 U/ml) for 9 days. Despite these culture conditions, IL4-induced IgE synthesis varied considerably (1-150 ng/ml) and MNC from 16/70 donors failed to produce IgE. Kinetic studies indicated that IL4 was required at the onset of the incubation phase. IgE synthesis was reduced by greater than 95% when addition of IL4 in the incubation period was delayed 24 h or more. IL4-induced IgE synthesis was blocked by interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). This inhibition is most effective when IFN-gamma was added in the 48-h preincubation step or during the first 48 h of the incubation period. Interestingly, IL4 was found to block spontaneous and lectin- or factor-induced IFN-gamma production by MNC, purified CD3+, CD4+ or CD8+ Tcells. This down-regulatory effect of IL4 on IFN-gamma production occurred at the mRNA transcription level. Furthermore, it is shown that IL4 induced the release of soluble CD23 and that recombinant soluble CD23 enhanced IL4-induced IgE synthesis, but only when IL4 was present at suboptimal concentrations. Collectively, our data indicate that IL4 and IFN-gamma regulate the level of IgE synthesis by influencing each other's activities reciprocally during the first 3 days of the culture.

Host-reactive CD4+ and CD8+ T cell clones isolated from a human chimera produce IL-5, IL-2, IFN-gamma and granulocyte/macrophage-colony-stimulating factor but not IL-4.

In the present study, we investigated the lymphokine production patterns in a series of CD4+ and CD8+ host-reactive T cell clones isolated from PBL of a SCID patient, who was immunologically reconstituted by two allogeneic fetal liver and thymus transplantations 13 years ago. We demonstrate that these donor-derived T cell clones, specifically reacting with the MHC Ag expressed on the recipient cells, do not produce IL-4 and do not express IL-4 mRNA upon Ag or polyclonal stimulations. In contrast, CD4+ tetanus toxin-specific T cell clones isolated from the same patient and having the same HLA phenotype produced normal amounts of IL-4 upon activation. These data suggest that the failure to produce IL-4 is a specific characteristic of these host-reactive clones and is not due to a genetic defect of the transplanted cells. Furthermore, different modes of activation resulted in simultaneous production of IL-5, IL-2, IFN-gamma, granulocyte/macrophage-CSF, and transcription of the TNF-beta gene by the host-reactive clones, indicating that the lack of IL-4 production is not related to the mode of activation. The finding that some of these clones produce significant levels of IL-5 but no IL-4 indicates that the IL-4 and IL-5 genes are not always coexpressed in activated human T cells.

The human interleukin-1 alpha gene is located on the long arm of chromosome 2 at band q13.

Interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) are two biochemically distinct, but distantly related, polypeptidic cytokines that play a key role in inflammation, immunologic reactions, and tissue repair. Recently, it has been shown that IL-1 alpha is identical to hematopoietin 1, which was described as a hematopoietic growth factor acting on early progenitor cells in synergy with other hematopoietic growth factors. In this report we discuss our use of in situ hybridization on human prometaphase cells with a human IL-1 alpha cDNA probe to localize the human IL-1 alpha gene on the proximal part of the long arm of chromosome 2 at band q13, in the same chromosomal region as the IL-1 beta gene.

Simultaneous production of IL-2, IL-4, and IFN-gamma by activated human CD4+ and CD8+ T cell clones.

In the present study, we have investigated the ability of human T cells to secrete IL-2, IL-4, and IFN-gamma. IL-4 and IFN-gamma were quantified with enzymatic immunoassays and IL-2 with a biologic assay by using the murine IL-2-dependent cell line CTLL-2. PBL, stimulated with Con A or with a combination of the phorbol ester 13-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-12-acetate and the Ca2+ ionophore A23187 secreted IL-2, IL-4, and IFN-gamma. The kinetics of the secretion of the three lymphokines was investigated with two CD4+ clones; one (GEO-2) that produced IL-2, IL-4, and IFN-gamma and another (HY640), that produced only IL-2 and IFN-gamma. Significant IL-2, IL-4, and IFN-gamma production was observed after only 8 h of activation. Maximal levels of IL-2 and IL-4 were found 20 h after the onset of the stimulation which subsequently decreased. In contrast, IFN-gamma levels continued to increase in a period up to 40 h and then leveled off. In spite of these differences in secretion, the kinetics of accumulation of mRNA did not differ. The IL-2, IL-4, and IFN-gamma mRNA were detectable 2 h after stimulation and continued to accumulate for a period up to 20 h. In a series of 22 CD4+ clones, 21 were able to secrete all three lymphokines upon stimulation. Almost all CD8+ clones were able to produce IL-2 and IFN-gamma, but only six of the 23 CD8+ T cell clones secreted IL-4. In addition, five CD4+ (allo)antigen-specific T cell clones were tested for IL-2, IL-4, and IFN-gamma secretion upon specific stimulation. Two alloantigen-specific and two tetanus toxoid-specific T cell clones secreted IL-2, IL-4, and IFN-gamma simultaneously, whereas one alloantigen-specific T cell clone secreted IL-2 and IFN-gamma, but not IL-4. A supernatant of the CD4+ T cell clone GEO-2, that contained high levels of IFN-gamma and IL-4, was unable to induce the low affinity receptor for IgE, CD23, on a Burkitt lymphoma cell line. However, after separation of IL-4 from IFN-gamma by using HPLC, the IL-4-containing fraction-induced CD23, which could be blocked by the fraction that contained IFN-gamma and by a polyclonal rabbit anti-IL-4 antiserum. Finally, the partly purified IL-4, that was devoid of IL-2, promoted the growth of the clone GEO-2.

Lymphocyte depletion in thymic nurse cells: a tool to identify in situ lympho-epithelial complexes having thymic nurse cell characteristics.

In situ pre-existing complexes of epithelial cells and thymocytes having thymic nurse cell characteristics were visualized in the murine thymus cortex using dexamethasone as a potent killer of cortisone-sensitive thymocytes. The degradation and subsequent depletion of cortisone-sensitive thymocytes enclosed within cortical epithelial cells appeared to be paralleled by thymocyte degradation and depletion in thymic nurse cells isolated from thymic tissue fragments from dexamethasone-treated animals. This suggests that thymic nurse cells are derived from pre-existing sealed complexes of cortical epithelial cells and thymocytes. Not all thymocytes situated within in situ epithelial or thymic nurse cells complexes appear to be cortisone-sensitive: a minority of 1-2 thymocytes per complex survives the dexamethasone-treatment, thus constituting a minor subset of cortical cortisone-resistant thymocytes predominantly localized within cortical epithelial cells in situ and within thymic nurse cells derived from such structures. Cortisone resistance in thymocytes thus seems to be acquired within the cortical epithelial cell microenvironment. Cortisone-resistant thymocytes in thymic nurse cells express the phenotype of mature precursors of the T helper lineage, indicating that the in situ correlates of thymic nurse cells may play an important role in T cell maturation and selection.

Isolation and characterization of an expressible cDNA encoding human IL-3. Induction of IL-3 mRNA in human T cell clones.

We have isolated cDNA clones encoding human IL-3 from libraries constructed in a modified pcD mammalian expression vector by using mRNA prepared from activated human T cell clones. Amino acid sequence of human IL-3 deduced from DNA sequence of these cDNA clones agrees with that predicted from genomic sequence except at amino acid position 27. Northern blotting analysis and S1 nuclease analysis show that almost all activated T cell clones express IL-3 mRNA with kinetics similar to that observed in mouse T cell clones. However, striking difference was found in the level of granulocyte-macrophage-CSF and IL-3 mRNA expressed in activated human T cells. In contrast to mouse T cell clones, granulocyte-macrophage-CSF mRNA is expressed at least two orders of magnitude more abundant than IL-3 mRNA. Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae carrying human IL-3 cDNA fused downstream to alpha-factor leader sequence expressed and secreted biologically active IL-3. Several different rat anti-peptide antisera have been used to confirm the presence of human rIL-3 immunochemically. The immunoreactive human IL-3 expressed in transiently transfected COS7 cells or in yeast was observed to be heterogeneous. Human rIL-3 expressed in COS7 cells has multipotential CSF activity in semisolid cultures of bone marrow cells, and selectively induced the proliferation of My-10+ marrow or cord blood cells in liquid cultures.

Regulation by anti-CD2 monoclonal antibody of the activation of a human T cell clone induced by anti-CD3 or anti-T cell receptor antibodies.

In this study the effect of anti-cluster designation (CD) 2 monoclonal antibodies (mAb) on the activation of a cloned human T cell line, HY837, after triggering the CD3/T cell receptor (TcR) complex by anti-CD3 or anti-TcR mAb is described. HY837, which reacts with a series of mAb directed at different epitopes on the TcR, could be induced to proliferation and interleukin 2 (IL-2) production by soluble mAb directed at the CD3/TcR complex in the absence of accessory cells. mAb directed at the CD2 epitope T11-1 were shown to block the IL-2 production by HY837, as well as the expression of the IL-2 receptor, induced by anti-CD3 mAb, resulting in the inhibition of the proliferative response. The effect of anti-CD2 mAb on the proliferative response of HY837, induced by anti-CD3 mAb, was not due to a competition for Fc binding sites. In contrast, the proliferative responses and IL-2 production of HY837, induced by mAb directed at the TcR, were shown to be enhanced by the action of the anti-CD2 mAb. These results indicate that effects mediated by anti-CD3/TcR mAb cannot always be extrapolated to antigen-mediated effects and show that anti-CD2 mAb may regulate the T cell response, induced by mAb directed at the CD3/TcR complex, depending on which part of this complex is triggered during activation.

T cell differentiation within thymic nurse cells.

Thymic nurse cells (TNC), defined as in vitro isolation products of thymic tissue, are epithelial cells harboring in their cytoplasm up to 200 intact, actively dividing thymocytes which are completely surrounded by vacuolar membranes. The TNC plasma membrane expresses major histocompatibility complex class I (H-2 K/D) and class II (I-A) antigens. The expression of MHC class I and class II antigens on the TNC vacuolar membranes was investigated with an improved in situ labeling technique. The major histocompatibility complex phenotype of the vacuolar membranes is H-2 K/D+, I-A2+ and thus identical to the TNC plasma membrane phenotype. By using the labeling technique, the TNC thymocyte population was examined for expression of the T cell differentiation antigens Thy-1, peanut agglutinin, Lyt-1, and Lyt-2, and the antigen expression was related to resistance of this population to cortisone. The majority of TNC thymocytes in individual TNC were cortisone-sensitive and expressed the immature phenotype of cortical thymocytes (Thy-1hi, PNAhi, Lyt-1lo, Lyt-2). A minority of the TNC thymocytes were cortisone-resistant and expressed a mature phenotype (Thy-1lo, peanut agglutininlo, Lyt-1hi). The existence of this minor mature population was confirmed in vivo: cortisone-resistant thymocytes were associated with cortical epithelial cells scattered throughout the thymic cortex of mice treated with dexamethasone. The major histocompatibility complex positive microenvironment of TNC and the heterogeneity in phenotype and resistance to cortisone of the TNC thymocytes, which is related to the state of maturation, indicate that TNC play an important role in the selection and differentiation of T cells.