Transforming growth factor-β enhances the in vivo effector function and memory phenotype of antigen-specific T helper cells in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

Andrew D. Weinberg, Ruth Whitham, Susan L. Swain, William J. Morrison, George Wyrick, Cain Hoy, Arthur A. Vandenbark, Halina Offner

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

69 Scopus citations

Abstract

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) had a profound effect on the in vitro phenotypic development of Ag-activated Th cells and enhanced the in vivo effector function of these cells upon adoptive transfer. Previous studies have shown that there are two types of Th cell populations found in unimmunized animals, naive helper cells, which are short-lived and express low levels of CD44 and high levels of CD45R and Mel-14, and memory helper cells, which have a long life span and express high levels of CD44 and low levels of CD45R and Mel-14. Culturing of Ag-specific murine Th cell lines and clones in the presence of TGF-β greatly enhanced both the memory phenotype of the cultured cells and the effector function upon adoptive transfer in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Histologic evaluation of spinal cords from recipients receiving passively transferred murine T cell lines cultured with TGF-β revealed large demyelinated plaques (multiple sclerosis-like) that were not present in animals receiving cells cultured with Ag alone. TGF-β also enhanced the capability of myelin basic protein-specific Lewis rat T cell lines to transfer experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and potentiated a purified protein derivative-specific rat helper cell line to transfer delayed type hypersensitivity. Thus, the effects of TGF-β did not appear to be limited by species specificity, Ag specificity, or in vivo T cell function. This is the first study showing that TGF-β can potentiate the development and maintainence of the Th cell memory phenotype in vitro and enhance their in vivo effector function in an animal disease model.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)2109-2117
Number of pages9
JournalJournal of Immunology
Volume148
Issue number7
StatePublished - Apr 1 1992
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Immunology and Allergy
  • Immunology

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