Coffman R L, Correa-Oliviera R, Mocci S
Department of Immunology, DNAX Research Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Palo Alto, CA 94304-1104, USA.
Ciba Found Symp. 1995;195:20-5; discussion 25-33. doi: 10.1002/9780470514849.ch3.
T helper 1 (Th1) and Th2 cells are the major subsets of fully differentiated CD4+ T cells in the mouse. The spectrum of cytokines characteristic of each subset determines the distinctive regulatory and effector functions mediated by each subset. We have used the murine model of Leishmania major infection to study the question of whether highly polarized populations of normal T cells are as stable in their cytokine phenotype as Th clones or whether the phenotype can be altered with regulatory cytokines. Interleukin 4 (IL-4) appears to be a key cytokine for Th2 responses as it is necessary for both the initial differentiation of Th responses to L. major and the stability of ongoing responses. Furthermore, IL-4 is capable of converting highly polarized Th1 responses to Th2 responses either in vitro or when adoptively transferred to severe combined immunodeficiency mice.
辅助性T细胞1（Th1）和Th2细胞是小鼠中完全分化的CD4+ T细胞的主要亚群。每个亚群特有的细胞因子谱决定了每个亚群介导的独特调节和效应功能。我们利用硕大利什曼原虫感染的小鼠模型来研究正常T细胞的高度极化群体在细胞因子表型上是否像Th克隆一样稳定，或者该表型是否可以被调节性细胞因子改变。白细胞介素4（IL-4）似乎是Th2反应的关键细胞因子，因为它对于Th对硕大利什曼原虫反应的初始分化以及持续反应的稳定性都是必需的。此外，IL-4能够在体外或将其过继转移到严重联合免疫缺陷小鼠体内时，将高度极化的Th1反应转化为Th2反应。
