|
|
||||||||


* Lymphocyte Activation Laboratory and
Biochemical Regulatory Mechanisms Laboratory, Cancer Research UK London Research Institute, Lincolns Inn Fields Laboratories, London, United Kingdom; and
Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
STAT4 is an essential transcription factor for Th1 cell development. IL-12 and IFN-
both activate STAT4, but with different kinetics. In this study we compared their capacities to drive differentiation of human naive Th cells toward the Th1 phenotype. The Th1-polarizing activity of IFN-
was much weaker than that of IL-12, correlating with a marked difference in the kinetics of STAT4 activation; the response to IL-12 was sustained (>48 h), whereas the response to IFN-
was transient (4 h). The continuous presence of IL-12 was required for sustained STAT4 activation. Similarly, optimal Th1 polarization was only achieved upon prolonged exposure to IL-12 and could not be induced by a transient IL-12 pulse. Furthermore, the cytokine IL-2 potentiated sustained IL-12/STAT4 responses through up-regulation of IL-12R expression and synergized with IL-12 in driving Th1 cell development. Transient IFN-
responses, on the other hand, were not prolonged by IL-2. IFN-
treatment induced down-regulation of IFN-
receptor subunit 1, rendering cells refractory to IFN-
, but did not trans-inhibit the IL-12/STAT4 response. These data indicate that sustained IL-12 signaling is essential for optimal Th1 cell development and that transient activation of STAT4 in response to IFN-
may explain the poor Th1-polarizing capacity of this cytokine. Collectively these data show that the duration of cytokine signaling is important for determining the biological response.
Related articles in The JI:
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
A. M. Davis, K. A. Hagan, L. A. Matthews, G. Bajwa, M. A. Gill, M. Gale Jr., and J. D. Farrar Blockade of Virus Infection by Human CD4+ T Cells via a Cytokine Relay Network J. Immunol., May 15, 2008; 180(10): 6923 - 6932. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
V. Athie-Morales, G. M. O'Connor, and C. M. Gardiner Activation of Human NK Cells by the Bacterial Pathogen-Associated Molecular Pattern Muramyl Dipeptide J. Immunol., March 15, 2008; 180(6): 4082 - 4089. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
H. J. Ramos, A. M. Davis, T. C. George, and J. D. Farrar IFN-{alpha} Is Not Sufficient to Drive Th1 Development Due to Lack of Stable T-bet Expression J. Immunol., September 15, 2007; 179(6): 3792 - 3803. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. A. Byrnes, D.-Y. Li, K. Park, D. Thompson, C. Mocilnikar, P. Mohan, J. P. Molleston, M. Narkewicz, H. Zhou, S. F. Wolf, et al. Modulation of the IL-12/IFN-{gamma} axis by IFN-{alpha} therapy for hepatitis C J. Leukoc. Biol., March 1, 2007; 81(3): 825 - 834. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. O. Abdalla, L. Hansson, I. Eriksson, B. Nasman-Glaser, E. D. Rossmann, H. Rabbani, H. Mellstedt, and A. Osterborg Idiotype protein vaccination in combination with adjuvant cytokines in patients with multiple myeloma - evaluation of T-cell responses by different read-out systems Haematologica, January 1, 2007; 92(1): 110 - 114. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
L. S. Berenson, M. Gavrieli, J. D. Farrar, T. L. Murphy, and K. M. Murphy Distinct Characteristics of Murine STAT4 Activation in Response to IL-12 and IFN-{alpha} J. Immunol., October 15, 2006; 177(8): 5195 - 5203. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. J. Fahey, R. A. Robins, K. B. Kindle, D. M. Heery, and C. S. Constantinescu Effects of glucocorticoids on STAT4 activation in human T cells are stimulus-dependent J. Leukoc. Biol., July 1, 2006; 80(1): 133 - 144. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. N. MacGregor, Q. Li, A. E. Chang, T. M. Braun, D. P.M. Hughes, and K. T. McDonagh Ex vivo Culture with Interleukin (IL)-12 Improves CD8+ T-Cell Adoptive Immunotherapy for Murine Leukemia Independent of IL-18 or IFN-{gamma} but Requires Perforin. Cancer Res., May 1, 2006; 66(9): 4913 - 4921. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. K. De, C. L. Miller-Graziano, S. E. Calvano, K. Laudanski, S. F. Lowry, L. L. Moldawer, D. G. Remick Jr, N. Rajicic, D. Schoenfeld, and R. G. Tompkins Selective Activation of Peripheral Blood T Cell Subsets by Endotoxin Infusion in Healthy Human Subjects Corresponds to Differential Chemokine Activation J. Immunol., November 1, 2005; 175(9): 6155 - 6162. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |