Cross-talk between gamma delta T lymphocytes and immune cells in humoral response

The role of gamma delta T cells in immunoregulation is largely unknown. In the current study we noted that gamma delta T cells play a positive role in the humoral response. These positively acting gamma delta T cells are requ ired for the successful adoptive cell transfer of the humoral response, as well as for in vitro generation of plaque-forming cells (PFC). The presente d results show that gamma delta T cells cause an increase in interleukin-10 (IL-IO) production, which partly elucidates the mechanism of action of the se cells. However, experiments with cell culture inserts strongly suggest t hat direct cell-cell contact between immune and gamma delta H-2-compatible regulatory T cells is critical to the exertion of the positive immunoregula tory function of gamma delta cells. The mechanism of cross-talk between the se two cell populations is still not clear but we regard as most likely tha t the positively acting gamma delta T cells may interact with a complex of heat-shock protein-non-polymorphic MHC (IB) on the surface of T helper type 2 and/or B cells. This could provide, by direct cell-cell contact, the cog nate recognition between gamma delta T-cell receptors and heat-shock protei n-MHC that leads to positive internal signalling in the immune cells.