MD41, a novel T helper 0 clone, mediates mast-cell dependent delayed-type hypersensitivity in mice

In a previous study on mouse, we have shown that delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) could be classified into two types according to MC requirement. The first type of DTH could be elicited by sensitization with methylated human serum albumin (MHSA) in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) in both wild type and mast-cell deficient (W/Wv) mice. The second type could be elicited by MHSA in incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA) sensitization in wild type but not W/Wv mice. While the former was related to classic tuberculin (tbc)-type DTH, the latter appeared to be a novel mast-cell dependent DTH (MD-DTH). In order to investigate the mechanism of MD-DTH, in this study, we generated an effector T-cell clone (MD41) from lymph node cells of MHSA in IFA-sensitized mice and analysed its pattern of cytokine production. Our results from cytokine assays show that following antigen stimulation, MD41 cells produce significant amounts of the T helper 1 (Th1) cytokine interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) as well as the Th2 cytokines interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10. In addition, double staining for IL-4 and IFN-gamma revealed that MD41 cells produce both Th1- and Th2-type cytokines simultaneously, which suggest that MD41 represents a Th0 clone rather than a mixture of Th1 and Th2 clones. Adoptive transfer of MD41 cells into wild-type mice resulted in the development of DTH skin reactions similar to those produced by active sensitization, with very similar histological findings. However, DTH skin reactions could not be induced in W/Wv mice unless first reconstituted with normal bone marrow MC (BM-MC). Therefore, our study suggests that in conjunction with tissue MC, MD41, a less-polarized MD-DTH-derived Th0 clone, is capable of developing murine DTH to the same extent as strongly polarized Th1 cells and mediates MD-DTH rather than tbc-type DTH.