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Updated: May 11, 2026

In Vitro Differentiation of Naive CD4+ T Cells into Pathogenic Th17 Cells in Mouse
Published on: October 25, 2024
Superantigens induce IL-17 production from polarized Th1 clones
Kentaro Yomogida1, Yuan K Chou1, Cong-Qiu Chu1
1Division of Arthritis and Rheumatic Diseases, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, United States; Portland VA Medical Center, Portland, OR 97239, United States.
Abstract:
Differentiation of naïve CD4(+) T cells has been considered to be an irreversible event and, in particular, the plasticity is believed to be completely lost in Th1 subset in vitro after multiple stimulations. However, here we demonstrate that highly polarized myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)- and herpes simples virus-specific Th1 clones were still capable of producing IL-17 upon superantigen stimulation. Anti-MHC class-II and anti-TCR αβ chains partially blocked superantigen-induced IL-17 production. These findings suggest that fully differentiated Th1 cells still have capability to produce cytokines of other Th subsets and production of IL-17 by MOG-specific Th1 cells may have implication in initiation and/or exacerbation of neurological autoimmune diseases.
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