© The Rockefeller University Press, 0022-1007/2000/3/1069/ $5.00
The Journal of Experimental Medicine, Volume 191, Number 6, March 20, 2000 1069-1076
T1/ST2-deficient Mice Demonstrate the Importance of T1/ST2 in Developing Primary T Helper Cell Type 2 Responses
Michael J. Townsenda,
Padraic G. Fallonb,
David J. Matthewsa,
Helen E. Jolina, and
Andrew N.J. McKenziea
a Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 2QH, United Kingdom
b Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QP, United Kingdom
Correspondence to:
Andrew N.J. McKenzie, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hills Rd., Cambridge, CB2 2QH, UK. Tel:44-1223-402350 Fax:44-1223-412178 E-mail:anm{at}mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk.
Released online: 20 March 2000
We have generated mice with a deficiency in T1/ST2 expression to clarify the roles of T1/ST2 in T helper cell type 2 (Th2) responses. Using immunological challenges normally characterized by a Th2-like response, we have compared the responses of T1/ST2-deficient mice with those generated by wild-type mice. Using a primary pulmonary granuloma model, induced with Schistosoma mansoni eggs, we demonstrate that granuloma formation, characterized by eosinophil infiltration, is abrogated in T1/ST2-deficient mice. Furthermore, we clearly demonstrate that in the absence of T1/ST2 expression, the levels of Th2 cytokine production are severely impaired after immunization. Thus, in a secondary pulmonary granuloma model, draining lymph node cells from the T1/ST2-deficient animals produced significantly reduced levels of IL-4 and IL-5, despite developing granulomas of a magnitude similar to those of wild-type mice and comparable antigen-specific immunoglobulin isotype production. These data clearly demonstrate that T1/ST2 expression plays a role in the development of Th2-like cytokine responses and indicate that effector functions are inhibited in its absence.
Key Words:
T1/ST2, T helper type 2 cells, immunoglobulin, pulmonary inflammation, mast cells