Hormonal regulation of CD4(+) T-cell responses in coxsackievirus B3-induced myocarditis in mice

Citation
Sa. Huber et al., Hormonal regulation of CD4(+) T-cell responses in coxsackievirus B3-induced myocarditis in mice, J VIROLOGY, 73(6), 1999, pp. 4689-4695
Citations number
45
Categorie Soggetti
Microbiology
Journal title
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
ISSN journal
0022538X → ACNP
Volume
73
Issue
6
Year of publication
1999
Pages
4689 - 4695
Database
ISI
SICI code
0022-538X(199906)73:6<4689:HROCTR>2.0.ZU;2-8
Abstract
Coxsackievirus B3 infection causes significant cardiac inflammation in male , but not female, B1.Tg.E alpha mice. This gender difference in disease sus ceptibility correlates with selective induction of CD4(+) Th1 (gamma interf eron-positive) cell responses in animals with testosterone, whereas estradi ol promotes preferential CD4(+) Th2 (interleukin-il positive [IL-4(+)]) cel l responses. Differences in immune deviation of CD4(+) T cells cannot be ex plained by variation in B7-1 or B7-2 expression. Infection significantly up regulated both molecules, but no differences were detected between estradio l- and testosterone-treated groups. Significantly increased numbers of acti vated (CD69(+)) T cells expressing the gamma delta T-cell receptor were fou nd in male and testosterone-treated male and female mice. In vivo depletion of gamma delta(+) cells by using monoclonal antibodies inhibited myocardit is and resulted in a shift from a Th1 to Th2 response phenotype. Taken toge ther, our results indicate that testosterone promotes a CD4(+) Th1 cell res ponse and myocarditis by promoting increased gamma delta(+) cell activation .