Work

Neonatal Basophils Stifle the Function of Early-Life Dendritic Cells To Curtail Th1 Immunity in Newborn Mice

Year: 2015

Type: article

Abstract: Neonatal immunity exhibits weak Th1 but excessive Th2 responses, and the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. In this article, we show that neonatal basophils readily produce IL-4, a cytokine that proved to be pivotal in shaping the programs of both lymphocyte subsets. Besides promoting Th2 programs, IL-4 is captured by the IL-4 heteroreceptor (IL-4Rα/IL-13Rα1) expressed on dendritic cells and instigates IL-12 downregulation. Under these circumstances, differentiating Th1 cells upregulate IL-13Rα1, leading to an unusual expression of the heteroreceptor, which will serve as a death marker for these Th1 cells during rechallenge with Ag. The resulting Th1/Th2 imbalance impacts childhood immunity culminating in sensitivity to allergic reactions, susceptibility to microbial infection and perhaps poor efficacy of pediatric vaccines.

Source: The Journal of Immunology

DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1500027

Authors: Mermagya Dhakal, Mindy M Miller, Adam A Zaghouani, Michael P Sherman, Habib Zaghouani

Institution: University of Missouri

Language: English

Topic: T-cell and B-cell Immunology

Subfield: Immunology

Field: Immunology and Microbiology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development