Dynamics of antigen-specific helper T cells at the initiation of airway eosinophilic inflammation

Abstract

Bronchial asthma is characterized by chronic eosinophilic inflammation of the bronchial mucosa in which Th2 cells play crucial roles. Ovalbumin-reactive Th2 clones were labeled with a fluorescent-probe then infused into unprimed mice to elucidate the dynamics of antigen-specific T cells involved in allergic inflammation. Infiltration of not only labeled antigen-specific T cells, but also unlabeled nonspecific CD4(+) T cells into the bronchial mucosa following inhaled antigen challenge was detectable under confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. Accordingly, labeled T cells in the spleen were decreased, whereas those in hilar lymph nodes were increased upon antigen challenge. Approximately 45% of antigen-specific T cells that migrated into the lungs bore CD25, while another early activation marker, CD69, was expressed on 80% of the migrated T cells. Accordingly, antigen challenge to the mice induced in situ proliferation of antigen-specific T cells as well as bronchial epithelial cells in the lungs. Expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1, but not intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, on the vascular endothelium in the lungs was enhanced following antigen challenge. Nevertheless, treatment with anti-VCAM-1 antibody, and also anti-ICAM-1 antibody strongly suppressed the accumulation of T cells, suggesting that both VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 are essential for antigen-stimulated T cell mobilization into peripheral tissues. Our current study visualized the kinetics and the mechanism of antigen-specific T cell migration in response to local challenge with a protein antigen.