T-HELPER-1 AND T-HELPER-2 CYTOKINE RESPONSES IN GUT-ASSOCIATED LYMPHOID-TISSUE FOLLOWING ENTERIC REOVIRUS INFECTION

Enteric infection of mice with reovirus serotype 1 elicits antibody an d cytotoxic T-lymphocytes in gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT). Th is led to the hypothesis that T-helper 1 (Th1) and T-helper 2 (Th2) re sponses develop in GALT. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reacti ons on RNA from Peyer's patches (PP), intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL ), and lamina propria (LP) lymphocytes demonstrated that interferon (I FN)-gamma message was increased in PP and IEL, but not in LP following infection. No increase in mRNA for interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, or IL-6 was detected. IFN-gamma, IL-5, and IL-6 were produced in in vitro cult ures of PP 4-10 days postinfection. PP and spleen lymphocytes from inf ected mice produced IFN-gamma, but no IL-5 following in vitro restimul ation. Infection also induced production of mRNA for the beta 2 chain of the IL-12 receptor in PP. We conclude that reovirus induces robust Th1 and weak Th2 cell responses in GALT. a 1998 Academic Press.