Dietary ribonucleotides increase antigen-specific type 1 T-helper cells in the regional draining lymph nodes in young BALB/cJ mice

• Published in: Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.) Los Angeles County, Calif.), 2003, Vol.19 (1), p.41-46
• Main Authors: Jyonouchi, Harumi, Sun, Sining, Winship, Timothy, Kuchan, Matthew J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; antigen-specific T-helper cells; Antigens, CD - immunology; Antigens, CD - metabolism; B7-2 Antigen; Biological and medical sciences; CD40 Ligand - immunology; CD40 Ligand - metabolism; Colleges & universities; costimulatory marker expression; Cytokines; Cytotoxicity; Diet; dietary ribonucleotides; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Immune system; Immunobiology; Immunology; Lymph nodes; Lymph Nodes - cytology; Lymph Nodes - immunology; Lymphocytes; Membrane Glycoproteins - immunology; Membrane Glycoproteins - metabolism; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Modulation of the immune response (stimulation, suppression); Ovalbumin - immunology; Ovalbumin - pharmacology; Random Allocation; Ribonucleotides - administration & dosage; Ribonucleotides - pharmacology; Rodents; T cell receptors; Th1 Cells - drug effects; Th1 Cells - immunology; Th2 Cells - drug effects; Th2 Cells - immunology; Time Factors; type 1 and type 2 T-helper cells
• ISSN: 0899-9007; 1873-1244
• DOI: 10.1016/S0899-9007(02)00931-0

We assessed the mechanisms of ribonucleotide action on type 1 T-helper cell (Th1) responses against ovalbumin (OVA) in Th2-biased BALB/cJ mice. Mice were fed a ribonucleotide-free or ribonucleotide-supplemented diet and given OVA subcutaneously with incomplete Freund’s adjuvant at 3 and 6 wk. Costimulatory molecule expression (CD86 and CD154), the state of naive versus effecter/memory Th cells, and the frequency of OVA-specific resting versus activated Th1/Th2 cells were accessed in cells from the regional draining lymph nodes. OVA challenge increased CD86, but not CD154, expression. Effector/memory stage Th/cytotoxic T cells increased after the first and second OVA challenges. Dietary ribonucleotides did not affect the expression of any of these cell surface molecules. Antigen-specific Th1 and Th2 cells increased 10 d after the first OVA dose and 5 d after the second OVA dose. Further, dietary ribonucleotides increased OVA-specific resting and activated Th1 cells 10 d after the first OVA dose and decreased OVA-specific resting Th2 cells 5 d after the second OVA dose. Dietary ribonucleotides may attenuate skewed Th2 responses by augmenting clonal expansion of OVA-specific Th1 cells, suppressing expansion of OVA-specific Th2 cells in Th2-biased BLAB/cJ mice, and not affecting antigen non-specific cell surface markers.