Aim: To investigate the impact on Th1/Th2 subset balance from cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen immunoglobulin (CTLA4 Ig) gene-modified dendritic cells (CTLA4 Ig-DCs) in vitro.
Methods: The modified DCs (CTIA4 Ig-DCs) were prepared by transferring the mouse bone marrow-derived DCs with the constructed adenovirus CTIA4 Ig vectorî The CTLA4 Ig expression and certain cell surface molecules on the CTIA4Ig-DCs were detected by FCM, the potential to stimulate allogeneic T cell proliferation of the modified DCs by mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) and the secretion of IFN-γ and IL-4 in antigen presentation by ELISA.
Results: CTLA4 Ig gene was successfully transfected into DCs with stable expression of CTLA4 Ig, and its transfection efficiency was about 80%. Compared with the controls, CTLA4 Ig-DCs showed lower surface molecule CD86, inhibited allogeneic lymphocyte proliferation in MLR, decreased secretion of IFN-γ and IL-4 and increased ratio of IFN-γ/IL-4 in antigen presentation.
Conclusion: CTLA4 Ig-DCs were successfully obtained and effectively expressed CTLA4 Ig, which could reduce the expression of CD86 on DCs surface. CTLA4 Ig-DCs inhibited allogeneic T cell proliferation and affected the ratio of Th1/Th2 in vitro.