Skip to main content
NCBI home page
The Journal of Experimental Medicine logoLink to The Journal of Experimental Medicine
. 1994 Jan 1;179(1):299–304. doi: 10.1084/jem.179.1.299

CD28-mediated costimulation of interleukin 2 (IL-2) production plays a critical role in T cell priming for IL-4 and interferon gamma production

PMCID: PMC2191346  PMID: 8270872

Abstract

Naive T cells require interleukin 4 (IL-4) to develop into IL-4- producing T cells and IL-4 blocks development of such cells into interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) producers. Prior studies in accessory cell- independent priming systems using antireceptor antibodies as agonists have demonstrated that IL-2 is also necessary for the development of IL- 4-producing cells under these culture conditions. Here we have examined the role of IL-2 and the CD28 costimulation pathway in priming for IL-4 and IFN-gamma production using a more physiologic model. This involved antigen presentation by accessory cells to naive CD4+ T cells from transgenic mice whose cells express a T cell receptor (TCR) specific for a cytochrome c peptide in association with I-Ek. With splenic antigen-presenting cells (APCs), inhibition of CD28 costimulation by the fusion protein CTLA4-immunoglobulin (Ig) blocked effective priming. Similarly, transfected fibroblasts expressing both MHC class II and the CD28 ligand B7 could prime for IL-4 production and such priming also was blocked by CTLA4-Ig. However, APCs deficient in CD28 ligands also could prime TCR transgenic T cells to become IL-4 producers if an exogenous source of IL-2, as well as IL-4, was provided, and the inhibition of priming seen with splenic or transfected fibroblast APCs in the presence of CTLA4-Ig could be reversed by addition of IL-2. Likewise, priming for IFN-gamma production could be blocked by CTLA4-Ig and reversed by IL-2. Thus, we conclude that IL-2 plays a critical role in priming naive CD4+ T cells to become IL-4 or IFN-gamma producers. Engagement of the CD28 pathway, although normally important in such priming, is unnecessary in the presence of exogenous IL-2.

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (628.4 KB).

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Ben-Sasson S. Z., Le Gros G., Conrad D. H., Finkelman F. D., Paul W. E. IL-4 production by T cells from naive donors. IL-2 is required for IL-4 production. J Immunol. 1990 Aug 15;145(4):1127–1136. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Betz M., Fox B. S. Regulation and development of cytochrome c-specific IL-4-producing T cells. J Immunol. 1990 Aug 15;145(4):1046–1052. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Curry R. C., Kiener P. A., Spitalny G. L. A sensitive immunochemical assay for biologically active MuIFN-gamma. J Immunol Methods. 1987 Nov 23;104(1-2):137–142. doi: 10.1016/0022-1759(87)90497-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Dialynas D. P., Quan Z. S., Wall K. A., Pierres A., Quintáns J., Loken M. R., Pierres M., Fitch F. W. Characterization of the murine T cell surface molecule, designated L3T4, identified by monoclonal antibody GK1.5: similarity of L3T4 to the human Leu-3/T4 molecule. J Immunol. 1983 Nov;131(5):2445–2451. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Fraser J. D., Irving B. A., Crabtree G. R., Weiss A. Regulation of interleukin-2 gene enhancer activity by the T cell accessory molecule CD28. Science. 1991 Jan 18;251(4991):313–316. doi: 10.1126/science.1846244. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Gillis S., Ferm M. M., Ou W., Smith K. A. T cell growth factor: parameters of production and a quantitative microassay for activity. J Immunol. 1978 Jun;120(6):2027–2032. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Harding F. A., McArthur J. G., Gross J. A., Raulet D. H., Allison J. P. CD28-mediated signalling co-stimulates murine T cells and prevents induction of anergy in T-cell clones. Nature. 1992 Apr 16;356(6370):607–609. doi: 10.1038/356607a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Heinzel F. P., Rerko R. M., Hatam F., Locksley R. M. IL-2 is necessary for the progression of leishmaniasis in susceptible murine hosts. J Immunol. 1993 May 1;150(9):3924–3931. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Hsieh C. S., Heimberger A. B., Gold J. S., O'Garra A., Murphy K. M. Differential regulation of T helper phenotype development by interleukins 4 and 10 in an alpha beta T-cell-receptor transgenic system. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1992 Jul 1;89(13):6065–6069. doi: 10.1073/pnas.89.13.6065. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Hsieh C. S., Macatonia S. E., Tripp C. S., Wolf S. F., O'Garra A., Murphy K. M. Development of TH1 CD4+ T cells through IL-12 produced by Listeria-induced macrophages. Science. 1993 Apr 23;260(5107):547–549. doi: 10.1126/science.8097338. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Hu-Li J., Ohara J., Watson C., Tsang W., Paul W. E. Derivation of a T cell line that is highly responsive to IL-4 and IL-2 (CT.4R) and of an IL-2 hyporesponsive mutant of that line (CT.4S). J Immunol. 1989 Feb 1;142(3):800–807. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Jenkins M. K., Taylor P. S., Norton S. D., Urdahl K. B. CD28 delivers a costimulatory signal involved in antigen-specific IL-2 production by human T cells. J Immunol. 1991 Oct 15;147(8):2461–2466. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Le Gros G., Ben-Sasson S. Z., Seder R., Finkelman F. D., Paul W. E. Generation of interleukin 4 (IL-4)-producing cells in vivo and in vitro: IL-2 and IL-4 are required for in vitro generation of IL-4-producing cells. J Exp Med. 1990 Sep 1;172(3):921–929. doi: 10.1084/jem.172.3.921. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Lindstein T., June C. H., Ledbetter J. A., Stella G., Thompson C. B. Regulation of lymphokine messenger RNA stability by a surface-mediated T cell activation pathway. Science. 1989 Apr 21;244(4902):339–343. doi: 10.1126/science.2540528. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Linsley P. S., Brady W., Grosmaire L., Aruffo A., Damle N. K., Ledbetter J. A. Binding of the B cell activation antigen B7 to CD28 costimulates T cell proliferation and interleukin 2 mRNA accumulation. J Exp Med. 1991 Mar 1;173(3):721–730. doi: 10.1084/jem.173.3.721. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Linsley P. S., Brady W., Urnes M., Grosmaire L. S., Damle N. K., Ledbetter J. A. CTLA-4 is a second receptor for the B cell activation antigen B7. J Exp Med. 1991 Sep 1;174(3):561–569. doi: 10.1084/jem.174.3.561. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Marshak-Rothstein A., Fink P., Gridley T., Raulet D. H., Bevan M. J., Gefter M. L. Properties and applications of monoclonal antibodies directed against determinants of the Thy-1 locus. J Immunol. 1979 Jun;122(6):2491–2497. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Mosmann T. R., Cherwinski H., Bond M. W., Giedlin M. A., Coffman R. L. Two types of murine helper T cell clone. I. Definition according to profiles of lymphokine activities and secreted proteins. J Immunol. 1986 Apr 1;136(7):2348–2357. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Mosmann T. R., Fong T. A. Specific assays for cytokine production by T cells. J Immunol Methods. 1989 Jan 17;116(2):151–158. doi: 10.1016/0022-1759(89)90198-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Ohara J., Paul W. E. Production of a monoclonal antibody to and molecular characterization of B-cell stimulatory factor-1. Nature. 1985 May 23;315(6017):333–336. doi: 10.1038/315333a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Powers G. D., Abbas A. K., Miller R. A. Frequencies of IL-2- and IL-4-secreting T cells in naive and antigen-stimulated lymphocyte populations. J Immunol. 1988 May 15;140(10):3352–3357. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Ronchese F., Schwartz R. H., Germain R. N. Functionally distinct subsites on a class II major histocompatibility complex molecule. Nature. 1987 Sep 17;329(6136):254–256. doi: 10.1038/329254a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Sarmiento M., Glasebrook A. L., Fitch F. W. IgG or IgM monoclonal antibodies reactive with different determinants on the molecular complex bearing Lyt 2 antigen block T cell-mediated cytolysis in the absence of complement. J Immunol. 1980 Dec;125(6):2665–2672. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Schwartz R. H. Costimulation of T lymphocytes: the role of CD28, CTLA-4, and B7/BB1 in interleukin-2 production and immunotherapy. Cell. 1992 Dec 24;71(7):1065–1068. doi: 10.1016/s0092-8674(05)80055-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Seder R. A., Gazzinelli R., Sher A., Paul W. E. Interleukin 12 acts directly on CD4+ T cells to enhance priming for interferon gamma production and diminishes interleukin 4 inhibition of such priming. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1993 Nov 1;90(21):10188–10192. doi: 10.1073/pnas.90.21.10188. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Seder R. A., Paul W. E., Davis M. M., Fazekas de St Groth B. The presence of interleukin 4 during in vitro priming determines the lymphokine-producing potential of CD4+ T cells from T cell receptor transgenic mice. J Exp Med. 1992 Oct 1;176(4):1091–1098. doi: 10.1084/jem.176.4.1091. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Swain S. L., Weinberg A. D., English M. CD4+ T cell subsets. Lymphokine secretion of memory cells and of effector cells that develop from precursors in vitro. J Immunol. 1990 Mar 1;144(5):1788–1799. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Swain S. L., Weinberg A. D., English M., Huston G. IL-4 directs the development of Th2-like helper effectors. J Immunol. 1990 Dec 1;145(11):3796–3806. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Thompson C. B., Lindsten T., Ledbetter J. A., Kunkel S. L., Young H. A., Emerson S. G., Leiden J. M., June C. H. CD28 activation pathway regulates the production of multiple T-cell-derived lymphokines/cytokines. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1989 Feb;86(4):1333–1337. doi: 10.1073/pnas.86.4.1333. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Whang Y., Silberklang M., Morgan A., Munshi S., Lenny A. B., Ellis R. W., Kieff E. Expression of the Epstein-Barr virus gp350/220 gene in rodent and primate cells. J Virol. 1987 Jun;61(6):1796–1807. doi: 10.1128/jvi.61.6.1796-1807.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Journal of Experimental Medicine are provided here courtesy of The Rockefeller University Press

RESOURCES