Early IL-4 induction in bone marrow lymphoid precursor cells by mycobacterial lipoarabinomannan

J Immunol. 1998 Nov 15;161(10):5546-54.

Abstract

IL-4 is produced promptly in response to certain infections and plays a key role in the Th1/Th2 T cell dichotomy; however, the cellular source remains a matter of debate. Here we describe the induction of IL-4 in bone marrow cells of normal and RAG-/- mice by both Mycobacterium tuberculosis and its major cell wall glycolipid, lipoarabinomannan. Characterization of the cell type responsible indicated that it was distinct from the NK1+ or CD4+ T cell previously ascribed the function of rapid IL-4 secretion. Cell-sorting experiments identified CD19+/B220+ precursor cells, presumably pre-B cells that produced IL-4 constitutively and whose frequency was rapidly and markedly up-regulated by lipoarabinomannan. Thus, pathogenic mycobacteria and their glycolipids may influence hemopoiesis by rapidly inducing IL-4 secretion in the bone marrow.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens / analysis
  • Antigens, Bacterial / metabolism
  • Antigens, Bacterial / pharmacology*
  • Antigens, Surface
  • Arabinose / immunology
  • B-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology
  • B-Lymphocyte Subsets / metabolism*
  • Bone Marrow Cells / immunology
  • Bone Marrow Cells / metabolism*
  • Cell Wall / immunology
  • Female
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / immunology
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / metabolism*
  • Immunophenotyping
  • Interleukin-4 / biosynthesis*
  • Lectins, C-Type
  • Lipopolysaccharides / metabolism
  • Lipopolysaccharides / pharmacology*
  • Mannose / immunology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mice, SCID
  • Mycobacterium bovis / immunology
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / immunology
  • NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B
  • Proteins / analysis
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / metabolism
  • Tuberculosis / immunology

Substances

  • Antigens
  • Antigens, Bacterial
  • Antigens, Surface
  • Lectins, C-Type
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B
  • Proteins
  • lipoarabinomannan
  • Interleukin-4
  • Arabinose
  • Mannose