Evidence of GATA-3-dependent Th2 commitment during the in vivo immune response

Int Immunol. 2004 Jan;16(1):179-87. doi: 10.1093/intimm/dxh026.

Abstract

The transcription factor GATA-3 has been shown to play an important role for the in vitro induction of T(h)2 cells. To clarify how the in vivo immune response is governed under GATA-3 function, we generated double-transgenic mice by crossing GATA-3 transgenic mice with ovalbumin (OVA)-specific TCR transgenic mice. After immunization with OVA, the double-transgenic mice showed increased expression of GATA-3 in antigen-reactive fresh CD4(+) T cells, and higher production of IL-5 and IL-13 in cultured spleen cells in the presence of cognate antigen without any polarizing conditions for T(h)2 cells. Moreover, the immunized double-transgenic mice showed a higher increase of in vivo secretion of IL-5 and IL-13 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid after OVA aerosol challenging. The serum levels of OVA-specific IgG1, IgE and IgA antibodies were much higher in the immunized double-transgenic mice than TCR transgenic mice. These findings provide direct evidence that antigen-stimulated CD4(+) T cells in the immunized mice have already been committed into T(h)2 cells producing IL-5 and IL-13 selectively through enhanced GATA-3 expression in vivo, thereby inducing higher production of antigen-specific antibody for three isotypes other than IgM.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / immunology
  • CD4 Antigens / immunology
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / immunology*
  • Flow Cytometry
  • GATA3 Transcription Factor
  • Immunoblotting
  • Immunoglobulin A / blood
  • Immunoglobulin E / blood
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood
  • Interleukin-13 / biosynthesis
  • Interleukin-5 / biosynthesis
  • Lymphocyte Activation / immunology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Ovalbumin / genetics
  • Ovalbumin / immunology*
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / genetics
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / immunology
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Th2 Cells / immunology*
  • Trans-Activators / immunology*

Substances

  • CD4 Antigens
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • GATA3 Transcription Factor
  • Gata3 protein, mouse
  • Immunoglobulin A
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Interleukin-13
  • Interleukin-5
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell
  • Trans-Activators
  • Immunoglobulin E
  • Ovalbumin