DIFFERENT KINDS OF ANTIGEN-PRESENTING CELLS EXERT DIFFERENT EFFECTS ON T-HELPER CELLS DEVELOPMENT

It has been well documented that environmental factors such as antigen -presenting cells and related cytokines can affect the development of T-helper cells. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of different antigen-presenting cells on T-cell development. Ovalbumin (OVA) combined with complete Freud's adjuvant (CFA) was used to sensi tize mice subcutaneously or intraperitoneally, and then to follow-up p roduction of IgG and IgE anti-OVA antibodies. In addition, semiquantit ative PCR was used to determine the level of cytokine mRNA of differen t antigen-presenting cells. Resulting data showed that antigen-present ing cells expressed with different characteristics: (1) IgG2a anti-OVA antibody was higher in mice sensitized subcutaneously compared to tho se sensitized intraperitoneally. (2) The levels of cytokine mRNA were higher in antigen-stimulated spleen cells of mice immunized subcutaneo usly compared to those of mice immunized intraperitoneally. (3) Langer hans cells expressed a high level of IL-12; in contrast, peritoneal B cells expressed a high level of IL-10, but not IL-12. In summary, cyto kine levels such as IL-IO and IL-12 were different among different kin ds of APC, and their role in production of different isotypes of antib odies needs further elucidation.