Proteome characterization of human T helper 1 and 2 cells

T helper (Th) cells can be polarized into two different main subtypes, Th1 and Th2 cells. Their activation is linked to the eradication of different pathogens and to dissimilar immunological dysfunctions, which implies differences also in their protein expression patterns. To identify these differences, CD4(+) T cells were isolated from human cord blood, polarized in vitro to Th1 and Th2 and activated via CD3 and CD28. Cells were lysed, soluble proteins were separated with two-dimensional electrophoresis and differing protein spots were identified with peptide mass fingerprinting. The expression of 14 proteins differed in Th1 and Th2 cells after both 7 and 14 days of polarization. Twelve of the proteins could be identified, most of which are new in this context. Two proteins were differentially modified in the two cell types. Especially, N-terminal acetylation of cyclophilin A was stronger in Th1 than in Th2 cells. To compare the RNA and the protein levels of the identified genes, mRNA expression was measured with Affymetrix oligonucleotide microarrays (HG-U133A). The mRNA and protein expression level correlated only in six cases out of eleven, which highlights the complementary roles that proteomics and transcriptomics have in the elucidation of biological phenomena.