ISSN:
1365-2222
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Background and Objective A subset of IL-4 producing CD8+ T cells was recently identified in HIV patients. Based on these findings we examined whether IL-4 producing CD8+ T cells would also be present in allergic patients and what would be the functional relevance of this T-cell population.Methods We investigated the role of CD8+ T cells in IgE production of allergic diseases by analysing the cytokine profile of individual CD4+ and CD8+ T cells.Results In allergic patients about twice as many CD4+ T cells and six times as many CD8+ T cells produced IL-4 as in non-allergic controls. In contrast the frequency of IFNγ+ T-cell subsets did not significantly differ between the allergic and non-allergic individuals. The frequency of 1L4+CD8+ T cells correlated with the level of serum IgE. Coculture experiments with T cells or purified CD8+ T cells together with autologous B cells indicated that CD8+ T cells enhanced IgE in vitro, but not IgM production, even when they were physically separated from B cells. This effect could be partially blocked by addition of an IL-4 binding protein, a soluble IL-4 receptor indicating that lL-4 is involved in CD8+ T-cell mediated IgE production.Conclusions These data indicate a positive role of IL-4 secreting CD8+ T cells in IgE regulation in allergic patients.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2222.1997.1180931.x
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