Alloreactive murine CD8+ T cell clones secrete the Th1 pattern of cytokines.

A large panel of CD8+ mouse T cell clones expressed the cytokine synthesis pattern characteristic of Th1 clones. CD8+ clones synthesized IFN-gamma and lymphotoxin at levels similar to Th1 clones, whereas IL-2 was synthesized by only 50% of the clones and at significantly lower levels compared to Th1 clones. CD8+ clones also produced substantial amounts of granulocyte/macrophage-CSF, TY5, P500, and TNF-alpha which are expressed preferentially by Th1 clones and at lower levels by Th2 clones. The level of IL-3 produced by CD8+ clones was approximately 10% of that produced by Th1 and Th2 clones. Some CD8+ clones expressed low levels of the Th2-preferential product preproenkelphalin. None of the CD8+ clones expressed detectable levels of the Th2-specific products IL-4, IL-5, and P600, and the great majority did not express IL-6. The cytokine profile of CD8+ clones is representative of that secreted by activated normal CD8+ splenocytes, which includes IFN-gamma, low levels of IL-2 and IL-3 but no IL-4 or IL-5. Inasmuch as many Th1/Th2 functions are cytokine mediated, the striking similarity of the Th1 and CD8+ cytokine secretion patterns helps to explain why these two cell types share certain functions such as DTH, and also suggests that further common functions may be discovered in the future.