ORAL-ADMINISTRATION OF ANTIGEN DOES NOT INFLUENCE THE PROLIFERATION AND IFN-GAMMA PRODUCTION OF RESPONSIVE CD8-CELLS BUT ENABLES TO ESTABLISH T-CELL CLONES WITH DIFFERENT LYMPHOKINE PRODUCTION PROFILE( T)

Feeding of a whole casein diet, which abolished the alpha(s1)-casein-s pecific proliferation and IFN-gamma productivity of CD4(+) T cells, di d not affect the proliferative response of CD8(+) T cells with regard to the antigen dose response, cell dose response, kinetics of the prol iferation and epitope specificity, as well as IFN-gamma production. To assess the characteristics of the CD8(+) T cells, we established alph a(s1)-casein-specific CD8(+) T cell clones from both casein-fed and co ntrol mice. The established clones produced different amount of IFN-ga mma and IL-10, and one clone derived from the casein-fed mice produced a remarkable amount of IL-10. The clones from casein-fed mice produce d considerable amounts of TGF-beta, while those from control mice prod uced only small amounts. The possible role of CD8(+) T cells in oral t olerance is discussed.