In article <Pine.OSF.3.96.980706085644.3578D-100000 at biocomp.unl.edu>,
Nagendra R Hegde <nhegde at biocomp.unl.edu> wrote:
> I have an additional question to the one posted earlier (shown hereunder):
>> If one stimulates a T cell culture with an antigen and expects both Th and
> CTLs to proliferate, is it possible for the CTLs to secrete more IFN-g
> than Th cells? Which type of cells, Th or CTL, secrete more IFN-g?
> Again, references are welcome.
>
Hy there,
I have investigated the cytokine pattern of CD4+ and CD8+ antigen-specific
T-cell clones, and have come up with a few findings that may answer your
questions.
Th cells produce large amounts of IFNgamma shortly after being stimulated
by APC+antigen (class II restricted). Simultaneously, they proliferate a
lot.
The CTL I was looking into produced IFNgamma following antigen stimulation
(a class I restricted one, of course), but a lot less than the Th cells
did. Few clones did not produce IFNg. Most CD8+ clones proliferated much
more vigorously than did the CD4's, so this cannot be an explanation for
the lower amounts of IFNgamma found afterwards.
I suppose cytokines are the most important effector mechanisms of a CD4+ T
cell, and therefore they produce a large amount of them. CD8+ T cells do
most of their work through lysis of the target, and less so by cytokine
production.
Hope this helps,
Guy
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Niels Hellings, PhD student
MS research Unit Tel 0032 (0) 11/26.92.07
Dr. L. Willems-Institute Fax 0032 (0) 11/26.92.09
University Campus E-mail hellings at luc.ac.be
B-3590 Diepenbeek
Belgium
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