-
Views
-
Cite
Cite
S HIROHATA, Human Th1 responses driven by IL-12 are associated with enhanced expression of CD40 ligand, Clinical and Experimental Immunology, Volume 115, Issue 1, January 1999, Pages 78–85, https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2249.1999.00769.x
Close - Share Icon Share
SUMMARY
IL- 12 is the prominent inducer of Th1 responses in humans and in the mouse. CD40 ligand (CD40L) plays important roles in regulation of immune responses, including T cell-dependent activation of B cells and cytokine production by monocytes and dendritic cells. The present study examined the influences of IL-12 on the CD40L expression of activated human CD4+ T cells. IL-12 enhanced CD40L expression on CD4+ T cells stimulated with immobilized anti-CD3 in the complete absence of accessory cells, whereas IL-4 and IL-10 decreased it. Exogenous interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) did not increase CD40L expression on immobilized anti-CD3 stimulated CD4+ T cells at any time up to 168 h of culture. The IL-12-induced enhancement of CD40L expression on anti-CD3 activated CD4+ T cells was not influenced in the presence of a metalloproteinase inhibitor KB8301, which up-regulated CD40L expression by preventing the processing of membrane-bound CD40L, or B cells, which down-regulated CD40L expression by receptor-mediated endocytosis. These results indicate that IL-12 enhances the CD40L expression of activated CD4+ T cells independently of the IFN-γ production. The data thus suggest that Th1 responses induced by IL-12 might play an important role in the regulation of humoral immune responses through up-regulated CD40L expression.
