Alternative and complementary therapy for asthma.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Asthma↗
Biomedical subjects
A Terr
Publications and source records attributed to A Terr.
Peptide-induced anergy in allergen-specific human Th2 cells results in lack of cytokine production and B cell help for IgE synthesis. Reversal by IL-2, not by IL-4 or IL-13.
The induction of anergy in T cells is believed to be the result of triggering of the TCR in the absence of adequate costimulation mediated through the interaction of CD28 and its ligands, CD80 and CD86. Here, we demonstrate that stimulation of human group I allergen in Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus extract (Der p 1)-specific CD4+ Th2-like T cell clones with Der p 1-derived peptides in the absence of professional APC results in a state of nonresponsiveness. The induction of anergy occurred despite the expression of high levels of CD28, CD80, and CD86 on the surface of the T cell clones and was not prevented by the addition of anti-CD28 mAb. The anergic, Der p 1-specific, Th2 cells failed to mobilize calcium from intracellular stores, to proliferate, and to produce IL-2, IL-4, IL-13, GM-CSF, and TNF-alpha following optimal stimulation with Der p 1-derived peptide and autologous APC. However, they mobilized intracellular calcium following stimulation with Ca(2+)-ionophore and produced all of the above cytokines, including IFN-gamma, when stimulated with phorbol ester and Ca2+ ionophore. These results indicate that the anergic T cell clones are capable of responding to signals circumventing the TCR/CD3 complex activation pathway. In contrast to T cell clones optimally activated with peptide and APC, anergic T cells failed to induce IgG4 and IgE synthesis when cocultured with B cells, even in the presence of exogenous IL-4 or IL-13. Anergic T cells expressed normal levels of CD40L, suggesting that their inability to help in Ig production by B cells is due to conditions other than a lack of expression of this molecule. Finally, exogenous IL-2 restored the helper function of anergic Th2 T cells for IgE production by B cells, which was greatly enhanced by the addition of IL-4 or IL-13. These data suggest that induction of anergy in allergen-specific Th2 T cells by allergen-derived peptides may play an important role in the successful desensitization of allergic patients.
Allergens↗
T cell activation-inducing epitopes of the house dust mite allergen Der p I. Proliferation and lymphokine production patterns by Der p I-specific CD4+ T cell clones.
Cloned human CD4+ T cell lines specific for the house dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus were used to map minimal T cell activation-inducing epitopes on the Group I allergen in D. pteronyssinus extracts (Der p I) molecule. Most of these Der p I-specific T cell clones expressed different TCR V alpha and V beta gene products. Using recombinant deletion proteins, three T cell epitopes were identified on the Der p I molecule; p45-67 and p117-143 were recognized by HLA-DR7-restricted T cells, whereas p94-104 was recognized in the context of HLA-DR2, DRw11 (DR5), and -DR8 molecules. This degenerate class II MHC restriction appears to be due to shared Phe and Asp residues at positions 67 and 70, respectively, in the third variable domain of the HLA-DR beta chain. All three T cell epitopes induced Th2-like cytokine production profiles by the Der p I-specific T cell clones, which were characterized by the production of very high levels of IL-4 and IL-5, as compared with those secreted by tetanus toxin-specific T cell clones derived from the same patients, but no or low amounts of IL-2 and IFN-gamma. This Th2-like production profile was, however, not an intrinsic property of the Der p I-specific T cells, but was dependent upon their mode of activation. Stimulation with Con A also induced very low or no measurable levels of IL-2 and IFN-gamma, whereas activation with TPA and the calcium ionophore A23187 resulted in the production of high levels of IL-4, IL-5, IL-2, and IFN-gamma. These results indicate that Der p I-specific T cell clones are not defective in their capacity to produce high levels of Th1 cytokines.
Allergens↗