Production of TNF-alpha and TNF-beta by staphylococcal enterotoxin A activated human T cells
Fischer, H.; Dohlsten, M.; Andersson, U.; Hedlund, G.; Ericsson, P.; Hansson, J.; Sjögren, H.O.
Journal of Immunology 144(12): 4663-4669
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0022-1767 PMID: 1972165 Document Number: 352045
Staphylococcal enterotoxin at concentrations of less than 1 pg/ml induces significant TNF activity in human peripheral blood T cells and monocytes. Maximal TNF activity is routinely detected after 48 to 72 h of culture. IL-2 and IL-4 were both growth promoting for human T cells but only IL-2 could efficiently induce TNF production. The production of TNF-.alpha. and TNF-.beta. differed greatly in kinetics. An early intracytoplasmatic production of TNF-.alpha. after 6 h was detected in both monocytes and T cells whereas a late production of TNF-.beta. (lymphotoxin) after 48 h, occurred in the T cell population. Induction of TNF-.alpha. and TNF-.beta. production by Staphylococcal enterotoxin requires the presence of both monocytes and T cells. The CD4+45R- but not CD4+45R+ and CD8+ cells supported TNF-.alpha. production in monocytes. The main lytic component from Staphylococcal enterotoxin-activated mononuclear cells is TNF-.beta. CD4+ and CD8+ T cells produced about equal amounts of biologically active TNF into the culture supernatants but a fourfold higher frequency of TNF-.beta. producing cells was demonstrated among CD4+ vs CD8+ cells. The CD4+45R- T cell subset was an efficient producer of TNF-.beta. and IFN-.gamma. whereas the CD4+45R+ T cell subset produced significant amounts of TNF-.beta. but only marginal amounts of IFN-.gamma.