Fibroblasts stimulated via HLA-II molecules produce prostaglandin E₂ and regulate cytokine production from helper T cells

Lab Invest. 2010 Dec;90(12):1747-56. doi: 10.1038/labinvest.2010.128. Epub 2010 Aug 2.

Abstract

Fibroblasts act as important immune regulatory cells via their ability to cross-talk with T cells accumulating in lesions. Our previous study showed that fibroblasts produce several cytokines and chemokines by crosslinking HLA class II (HLA-II) molecules with monoclonal antibodies or by making T-cell receptor-peptide-HLA complexes. It is thus conceivable that the interaction of T cells and fibroblasts via HLA-II affects fibroblast responses to stimuli. This study used human gingival fibroblasts (HGF) to investigate possible effects of these fibroblast-derived soluble factors on the differentiation of naïve T cells and on the subsequent fibroblast responses. After mixed lymphocyte reaction culture between naïve T cells and allogeneic dendritic cells in the presence of culture supernatant from HGF stimulated via HLA-DQ molecules (DQ-sup), but not via DR, T cells exhibited a Th2-shifted phenotype, thereby producing quantitatively more IL-13 and IL-5 compared with interferon-γ. Astonishingly, analyses to identify possible factors affecting the Th2 polarization secreted from HLA-II-stimulated HGF, prostaglandin E₂, was detected only in DQ-sup. The Th2 polarization of naïve T cells was blocked in the presence of supernatants from indomethacin-treated HGF with HLA-DQ stimulation. In addition, we found that the culture supernatants of Th cells activated following mixed lymphocyte reaction culture in the presence of DQ-sup had the potential to induce gene expression of type I and III collagens in HGF. These results suggested that fibroblasts stimulated via HLA-DQ molecules promote Th2 polarization in Th-cell responses and showed the counter activation of collagen synthesis, implicating orchestrated responses among these cells in the fibrosis of chronic inflammatory lesions.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Cell Differentiation / immunology
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cytokines / biosynthesis*
  • Cytokines / immunology
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology
  • Fibroblasts / drug effects
  • Fibroblasts / immunology*
  • Gingiva / immunology
  • HLA-DQ Antigens / genetics
  • HLA-DQ Antigens / immunology
  • HLA-DQ Antigens / metabolism
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / genetics
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / immunology*
  • Humans
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Interferon-gamma / immunology
  • Interferon-gamma / metabolism
  • Interleukin-13 / immunology
  • Interleukin-13 / metabolism
  • Interleukin-5 / immunology
  • Interleukin-5 / metabolism
  • Lymphocyte Activation / drug effects
  • Lymphocyte Activation / immunology
  • Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed
  • Male
  • Prostaglandins E / immunology
  • Prostaglandins E / metabolism*
  • T-Lymphocytes / drug effects
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / immunology*

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • HLA-DQ Antigens
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class II
  • Interleukin-13
  • Interleukin-5
  • Prostaglandins E
  • Interferon-gamma