SECRETION OF IFN-GAMMA, IL-6, GRANULOCYTE-MACROPHAGE COLONY-STIMULATING FACTOR AND IL-10 CYTOKINES AFTER ACTIVATION OF HUMAN PURIFIED T-LYMPHOCYTES UPON CD38 LIGATION

Human CD38, a surface glycoprotein expressed by different immunocompet ent cells, is associated with distinct transmembrane signaling molecul es and plays a key role in the synthesis of cyclic ADP-ribose, a calci um-mobilizing compound. This study reports that CD38 ligation lay spec ific monoclonal antibodies (mAb) in purified peripheral blood T cells is followed by secretion of discrete cytokines. IL-6, granulocyte-macr ophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), IFN-gamma, and IL-10 mRNA e xpression were constant findings. Low levels of IL-2 mRNA were also de tected in CD38-activated T lymphocyte cultures of all subjects studied , Low levels of IL-4 and IL-5 mRNA were detected in the majority of CD 38-activated T cultures. Moreover, CD38 mediated cytokine induction do es not require T cell proliferation or the addition of antigen present ing cells, in conclusion, human CD38 runs an activation pathway in pur ified T cells which operates through the induction of a cytokine profi le shared by Th1 or Th2 cells. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.