| Research Abstract |
We differentiated naive CD4^+T cells into Th1 or Th2 cells, then examined the expression of E-selectin ligand(ESL), fucosyltransferase VII(FucT-VII), and CCR-4 on those cells in a type-1 or type-2 cytokine environment, using flow cytometry, to determine what sort of cytokine environment is appropriate for the most efficient migration of Th1 cells or Th2 cells to the skin.
1. Th1 cells showed intense expression of CLA, ESL, and FucT-VII, but not CCR-4 in the presence of IL-12. Th1 cells stimulated by IL-4 did not reveal the expression of CLA, but ESL and CCR-4, the latter being regarded to be specific of Th2 cells.
2. Th2 cells expressed CCR-4 in the presence of IL-12, as well as IL-4, whereas there was neither CLA expression nor constant expression of ESL and FucT-VII in the presence of IL-4. In the presence of IL-12, the expression of CLA, ESL, and FucT VII was elevated.
3. We analyzed the influence of Th1(IL-12) or Th2(IL-4)-pattern milieu on nonpolarized Th cells(Th0). Th0 cells differentiated into the cells with intense expression of both ESL and CLA in Th1 milieu, showing strong abilities to migrate to the skin, while in Th2 milieu, differentiation into CLA^+ cells was not observed, although ESL expression was increased.
4. Th1 cells showed the expression of CCR-4 in addition to constant expression of ESL when cytokine mileu shifted from Th1 to Th2, while Th2 cells revealed ESL expression in addition to constant expression of CCR-4 when cytokine milieu shifted from Th2 to Th1.
These obsernvations suggest that Th1 and Th2 cells obtain an ability to migrate to the skin with an expression of ESL, FucT-Vll, and CCR-4 in the process of activation. In addition, it is likely that Th1 and Th2 cells express a each phenotype that can migrate to the skin most efficiently, when they are exposed to opposite-pattern cytokine environment.
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