Experimental hypersensitivity pneumonitis: influence of Th2 bias.

Cultured murine CD4+ cells from Saccharopolyspora rectivirgula sensitized C3H/HeJ (Th1 bias) donors can adoptively transfer murine experimental hypersensitivity pneumonitis (EHP). We sensitized BALB/c mice (Th2 bias) with S. rectivirgula, obtained spleen and lung associated lymph node (LALN) cells, cultured the cells with specific antigen, and attempted adoptive transfer of EHP. We also treated both C3H/HeJ and BALB/c donor mice with IL4 and anti-IFNgamma before exposure to S. rectivirgula and then cultured cells from both spleen and LALN before attempted transfer of EHP. We found that cultured spleen and lung associated lymph node cells can adoptively transfer EHP in both C3H/HeJ and BALB/c mice as demonstrated by infiltration of the recipient lungs with CD4+ lymphocytes. Treatment of both mouse strains with IL4 and anti-IFNgamma did not change the ability of cultured cells to adoptively transfer EHP. We conclude that EHP induced by S. rectivirgula can occur in animals with either a Th1 or a Th2 bias and is not altered by treatment with IL4 and anti-IFNgamma. This suggests that attributes of the antigen and not genetic background or cytokine environment at the site of initial sensitization determines the results of exposure to S. rectivirgula.