Murine neonatal CD4+ cells are poised for rapid Th2 effector-like function.

ABSTRACT: Murine neonates typically mount Th2-biased immune responses. This entails a cell-intrinsic component whose molecular basis is unknown. We found that neonatal CD4(+) T cells are uniquely poised for rapid Th2 function. Within 24 h of activation, neonatal CD4(+) cells made high levels of IL-4 and IL-13 mRNA and protein. The rapid high-level IL-4 production arose from a small subpopulation of cells, did not require cell cycle entry, and was unaffected by pharmacologic DNA demethylation. CpG methylation analyses in resting neonatal cells revealed pre-existing hypomethylation at a key Th2 cytokine regulatory region, termed conserved noncoding sequence 1 (CNS-1). Robust Th2 function and increased CNS-1 demethylation was a stable property that persisted in neonatal Th2 effectors. The transcription

SUBMITTER: Rose S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2112939 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature