Differential regulation of Th1/Th2 cytokine responses by placental protein 14

The potency of TCR signaling during primary CD4+ T cell activation influences initial cytokine expression patterns and subsequent polarization toward either Th1 or Th2 subsets. In this study, we demonstrate that the T cell inhibitor placental protein 14 (PP14; glycodelin) preferentially inhibits Th1 cytokine responses and chemokine expression when present during ex vivo priming of CD4+ T cells. PP14 synergizes with exogenously added IL-4 in skewing T cell responses. Significantly, PP14 impairs the down-regulation of GATA-3 transcriptional regulator expression that normally accompanies T cell activation, which is a prerequisite for Th1 development. Taken together, these data document for the first time the ability of PP14 to skew Th responses.