Impact of antigen-presenting cells on cytokine profiles of human Th clones established after stimulation with Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens.

Human T cells reactive with mycobacterial antigens are generally considered to correlate with a Th1 cytokine profile. Our data show that, in addition, Th0 and Th2 clones develop in bulk culture with appropriate antigen-presenting cells before cloning. CD4+ blasts activated by mycobacterial antigens were cloned, and their mRNA patterns for the interleukins (IL) IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, and IL-10 and gamma interferon were characterized by reverse-transcribed PCR. Nonadherent, nonrosetting, enriched peripheral blood mononuclear cells promoted development of Th0; after further depletion of monocytes and natural killer cells, Th2 clones were also found. Epstein-Barr virus-transformed B cells, with specificity for the stimulating antigen, increased the proportion of Th2 clones.