| First Author | Atsumi T | Year | 2009 |
| Journal | Int Immunol | Volume | 21 |
| Issue | 1 | Pages | 73-80 |
| PubMed ID | 19050105 | Mgi Jnum | J:143744 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3828893 | Doi | 10.1093/intimm/dxn125 |
| Citation | Atsumi T, et al. (2009) IFN-gamma expression in CD8+ T cells regulated by IL-6 signal is involved in superantigen-mediated CD4+ T cell death. Int Immunol 21(1):73-80 |
| abstractText | Infection with pathogens containing superantigens (Sags) can result in massive excessive CD4+ T cell activation and death in such conditions as toxic shock, food poisoning and autoimmune diseases. We here showed how enhancement of IL-6 signaling suppresses Sag-mediated activated CD4+ T cell death. Sag-induced CD4+ T cell death increased in IL-6 knockout (KO) mice, whereas it decreased in mice characterized by enhanced IL-6-gp130-STAT3 signaling. The serum concentration of IFN-gamma was inversely correlated with the magnitude of IL-6 signaling, and IFN-gamma deficiency inhibited Sag-induced activated CD4+ T cell death, suggesting that IL-6 suppresses CD4+ T cell death via IFN-gamma expression. Interestingly, depletion of activated CD8+ T cells inhibited Sag-mediated increases in IFN-gamma expression in IL-6 KO mice as well as the augmented CD4+ T cell death. The results demonstrate that IL-6-gp130-STAT3 signaling in activated CD8+ T cells contributes to Sag-induced CD4+ T cell death via IFN-gamma expression, highlighting this signaling axis in CD8+ T cells as a potential therapeutic target for Sag-related syndromes. |
