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© The Rockefeller University Press, 0022-1007/1997/3/817/ $5.00
The Journal of Experimental Medicine, Volume 185, Number 5, March 3, 1997 817-824


Articles

Regulation of the Interleukin (IL)-12R β2 Subunit Expression in Developing T Helper 1 (Th1) and Th2 Cells

Susanne J. Szabo*, Anand S. Dighe*, Ueli Gubler{ddagger}, and Kenneth M. Murphy*

From the * Department of Pathology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110; and the {ddagger} Department of Inflammation/Autoimmune Diseases Hoffmann La-Roche Inc., Nutley, New Jersey 07110

The developmental commitment to a T helper 1 (Th1)- or Th2-type response can significantly influence host immunity to pathogens. Extinction of the IL-12 signaling pathway during early Th2 development provides a mechanism that allows stable phenotype commitment. In this report we demonstrate that extinction of IL-12 signaling in early Th2 cells results from a selective loss of IL-12 receptor (IL-12R) β2 subunit expression. To determine the basis for this selective loss, we examined IL-12R β2 subunit expression during Th cell development in response to T cell treatment with different cytokines. IL-12R β2 is not expressed by naive resting CD4+ T cells, but is induced upon antigen activation through the T cell receptor. Importantly, IL-4 and IFN-{gamma} were found to significantly modify IL-12 receptor β2 expression after T cell activation. IL-4 inhibited IL-12R β2 expression leading to the loss of IL-12 signaling, providing an important point of regulation to promote commitment to the Th2 pathway. IFN-{gamma} treatment of early developing Th2 cells maintained IL-12R β2 expression and restored the ability of these cells to functionally respond to IL-12, but did not directly inhibit IL-4 or induce IFN-{gamma} production. Thus, IFN-{gamma} may prevent early Th cells from premature commitment to the Th2 pathway. Controlling the expression of the IL-12R β2 subunit could be an important therapeutic target for the redirection of ongoing Th cell responses.


Address correspondence to Kenneth M. Murphy, Department of Pathology, Washington University School of Medicine, Campus Box 8118, 660 S. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110.

1 Abbreviation used in this paper: IL-2R, IL-12 receptor.


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