CD8+ immunoregulatory cells in the graft-versus-host reaction: CD8 T cells activate dendritic cells to secrete interleukin-12/interleukin-18 and induce T helper 1 autoantibody

Initiation of cell-mediated immunity or autoimmunity requires secretion of interleukin (IL)-12 from dendritic cells (DC), which drives the generation of T helper 1 (Th1) effector cells in synergy with IL-18. Induction of IL-12 can be triggered by microbial stimuli but also requires signals from activated T cells. We investigated interactions between alloreactive CD4 and CD8 T cells in mixed lymphocyte reactions (MLR) in vitro and in the graft-versus-host reaction (GVHR) in vivo. In a parent-into-F1 model of GVHR, donor CD8 cells were found to suppress the hyper-immunoglobulin E (IgE) syndrome, anti-DNA immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) autoantibodies and donor CD4-cell expansion, but were essential for Th1-dependent immunoglobulin G2a (IgG2a) autoantibody production and release of serum IL-12 p40. In vitro, addition of alloreactive CD8 cells to CD4 cells and mature DC enhanced Th1 development. CD4 and CD8 T cells induced IL-18 from DC and primed for IL-12 p70 secretion via interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) or tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). However CD8 T cells, but not CD4 cells, released IFN-gamma/TNF-alpha after primary stimulation. The data suggest that rapid release of inflammatory cytokines from central memory-type CD8 cells early in immunity is critical for induction of Th1 cells via DC activation and IL-12 production. This pathway could provide a means for amplification of cell-mediated autoimmunity in the absence of microbial stimuli.     

Expression and role of interleukin-2 receptor beta chain on CD4-CD8- T cell receptor alpha beta+ cells [corrected]

Using anti-murine interleukin-2 receptor beta chain (IL-2R beta) monoclonal antibody (mAb), we have examined the expression of IL-2R beta on murine thymocyte subpopulations. We found that it was constitutively expressed on 1%-4% of thymocytes in an almost mutually exclusive fashion with IL-2R alpha. The expression of IL-2R beta is developmentally regulated. While it is expressed mainly on T cell receptor gamma delta+ (TcR gamma delta+) cells during fetal age, the major subpopulation expressing IL-2R beta in adult mouse shifts to CD4-CD8-TcR alpha beta+ thymocytes. A considerable portion of CD4-CD8- TcR alpha beta+ cells in other organs, including spleen, bone marrow and liver, was also found to express IL-2R beta. In fetal thymus organ culture, the above thymocyte subset was induced to expand in response to exogeneous IL-2, and the expansion was inhibited by addition of anti-IL-2R beta mAb, suggesting that IL-2R beta is functional in this subpopulation. However, in vivo blockade of the IL-2/IL-2R pathway with the mAb did not exert any effects on the appearance of CD4-CD8- TcR alpha beta+ cells both in the thymus and the periphery. This indicates that the development of CD4-CD8- TcR alpha beta+ cells is not solely controlled by IL-2 but also by other complex elements.     

Decreases in alpha beta T cell receptor negative T cells and CD8 cells, and an increase in CD4+ CD8+ cells in active Hashimoto''s disease and subacute thyroiditis.

We examined peripheral lymphocyte subsets in patients with autoimmune thyroid disease, or subacute thyroiditis, in the active stage when possible. During destructive thyrotoxicosis arising from alpha beta T cell receptor (TCR) negative T (WT31-CD3+) cells and CD8 (CD4-CD8+) cells decreased and those of CD4+CD8+ cells increased slightly, resulting in proportional increases in CD4 (CD4+CD8-) cells, non-T, non-B (CD5-CD19-) cells, and the CD4/CD8 cell ratio. Changes were similar in active subacute thyroiditis. During stimulative thyrotoxicosis in active Graves' disease, the numbers of such T lymphocyte subsets were not changed, but only the number of CD5+ B (CD5+CD19+) cells increased markedly, resulting in proportional decreases in total T (CD3+) cells, alpha beta+ TCR T (WT31+CD3+) cells, CD8 cells, and non-T, non-B cells. A serial study of some of the patients showed opposite changes in alpha beta TCR- T cells, the CD4/CD8 cell ratio, and CD5+ B cells between the active stages of Graves' and Hashimoto's diseases. alpha beta TCR- T cells were mostly gamma delta TCR+ T (IIF2+ CD3+) cells in these patients. These data suggest that alpha beta TCR-T (gamma delta TCR+ T), CD8, and CD4+ CD8+ cells are important in thyroid destruction in Hashimoto's disease and subacute thyroiditis, and that CD5+ B cells are important in thyroid stimulation in Graves' disease.     

CD4+CD25+免疫调节性T细胞对CD4+T细胞介导的移植物抗宿主病预防作用的研究

目的研究CD4+CD25+免疫调节性T(Treg)细胞在小鼠骨髓移植后,对移植物抗宿主病的预防作用及其作用机制.方法用C3H(H-2k)小鼠骨髓作为供体,提取C3H(H-2k)小鼠CD4+T及CD4+CD25+T细胞,C3H×B6(H-2k/b)F1小鼠为骨髓移植的受者.在受者接受致死量全身放射后,输注供者去除T细胞的骨髓(ATBM),使其造血功能重建(ATBM组).于不同的实验组给予CD4+(CD4组)T细胞,CD4+CD25+T(CD25组)或二者同时输注(CD4/CD25组).观察各组小鼠移植物抗宿主病(GVHD)的发生率.结果所有10只ATBM组小鼠至骨髓移植后60天仍全部存活,无GVHD发生;所有10只CD4组小鼠在骨髓移植10天内全部死于GVHD(P＜0.01);所有5只CD25组小鼠于骨髓移植后60天仍全部存活,无明显GVHD发生(P＞0.05);同样,所有6只CD4/CD25组小鼠至骨髓移植后仍全部存活,无明显GVHD发生(P＞0.05).结论在同种异基因小鼠的骨髓移植模型中,CD4+CD25+T不诱导GVHD的发生,并有预防CD4+T细胞介导的GVHD发生的作用.     

Antigen-specific CD8+ T cells inhibit IgE responses and interleukin-4 production by CD4+ T cells

There is a growing body of evidence which suggests that CD8⁺ T cells play an important part in regulating the IgE response to non-replicating antigens. In this study we have systematically investigated their role in the regulation of IgE and of CD4⁺ T cell responses to ovalbumin (OVA) by CD8⁺ T cell depletion in vivo. Following intraperitoneal immunization with alum-precipitated OVA, OVA-specific T cell responses were detected in the spleen and depletion of CD8⁺ T cells in vitro significantly enhanced the proliferative response to OVA. Depletion of CD8⁺ T cells in vivo 7 days after immunization failed to enhance IgE production, while depletion of CD8⁺ T cells on days 12–18 greatly enhanced the IgE response, which rose to 26 μ/ml following a second injection of anti-CD8 on day 35 and remained in excess of 1 μ/ml over 300 days afterwards. Reconstitution on day 21 of rats CD8-depleted on day 12 with purified CD8⁺ T cells from animals immunized on day 12 completely inhib ited the IgE response. This effect was antigen specific; CD8⁺ T cells from OVA-primed animals had little effect on the IgE response of bovine serum albumin immunized rats. In vivo, CD8⁺ T cell depletion decreased interferon (IFN)-γ production but enhanced interleukin (IL)-4 production by OVA-stimulated splenic CD4⁺ T cells. Furthermore, CD8⁺ T cell depletion and addition of anti-IFN-γ antibody enhanced IgE production in vitro in an IL-4-supplemented mixed lymphocyte reaction. These data clearly show that antigen-specific CD8⁺ T cells inhibit IgE in the immune response to non-replicating antigens. The data indicate two possible mechanisms: first, CD8⁺ T cells have direct inhibitory effects on switching to IgE in B cells and second, they inhibit OVA-specific IL-4 production but enhance IFN-γ production by CD4⁺ T cells.     

Tracking ex vivo-expanded CD4+CD25+ and CD8+CD25+ regulatory T cells after infusion to prevent donor lymphocyte infusion-induced lethal acute graft-versus-host disease.

Donor bone marrow (BM)-derived CD4+ CD25+ regulatory T cells, maturing in the host thymus, are critical in inhibiting graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) in murine BM chimeras. Data presented here demonstrate that fresh CD25+ cells isolated from donor-type mice can be expanded ex vivo by a variety of methods. Ex vivo-expanded CD4+ CD25+ and CD8+ CD25+ cells were potent suppressors of donor response to host alloantigens in mixed lymphocyte reaction assays. Both fresh and ex vivo-expanded CD4+ CD25+ cells persisted long-term in vivo and effectively prevented DLI-induced GVHD in CD25-/- BM chimeras. Importantly, co-infused CD4+ CD25+ cells with DLI cells migrated to peripheral lymphoid organs and survived long-term in DLI-treated CD25-/- chimeras, but not in DLI-treated CD25+/+ chimeras, indicating homeostatic control of CD25+ cells and an available niche required for their long-term persistence. Furthermore, maintenance of CD25 expression seemed necessary for suppressive function, because only the CD25+ cell fraction, but not the CD25- fraction isolated after adoptive transfer, was suppressive in vitro. Ex vivo-expanded CD8+ CD25+ cells weakly prevented GVHD, apparently because of a rapid disappearance of these cells after adoptive transfer. Taken together, these data suggest that the therapeutic use of ex vivo-expanded CD4+ CD25+ cells may be a feasible, nontoxic modality for controlling GVHD in the clinic. Because of strict homeostatic control, an available niche may be required for long-term persistence of infused regulatory T cells.     

Maintenance of CD8+ T cells during acute viral infection of the central nervous system requires CD4+ T cells but not interleukin-2

The JHM strain of mouse hepatitis virus (JHMV) is rapidly cleared from the central nervous system (CNS) by CD8(+) T cells. In the absence of CD4(+) T cells, fewer CD8(+) T cells are found within the CNS in association with a coordinate increase in apoptotic lymphocytes. Previous data suggested that CD4(+) T cells may support CD8(+) T cells through secretion of interleukin-2 (IL-2). To determine the in vivo role of IL-2 during CNS infection, IL-2 signaling was inhibited via administration of a neutralizing IL-2-specific monoclonal antibody (mAb). In contrast to depletion of CD4(+) T cells, inhibition of IL-2 signaling did not influence CD8(+) T cell infiltration, effector cell function or survival within the CNS. These data suggest that the cellular immune response to acute neurotropic JHMV infection requires a distinct CD4(+) T cell component, but is independent of a requirement for IL-2 for induction, activation, recruitment, and/or maintenance of CD8(+) T cells within the CNS during acute infection.     

Host-derived interleukin-18 differentially impacts regulatory and conventional T cell expansion during acute graft-versus-host disease.

Interleukin (IL)-18 stimulates T helper 1 (Th1) and Th2-mediated immune responses, and has been shown to modulate acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD). It is still unknown whether increased IL-18 levels during aGVHD are of host or donor origin, and how the absence of IL-18 has an impact on migration and expansion of conventional CD4(+)CD25(-)(Tconv) and CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory (Treg) T cells in vivo. By utilizing IL-18 gene-deficient donor versus recipient animals we found that the major cytokine production during the early phase of aGVHD induction was recipient derived, whereas donor hematopoietic cells contributed significantly less. By generating IL-18(-/-) luciferase transgenic mice we were able to investigate the impact of IL-18 on Tconv and Treg expansion and trafficking with in vivo bioluminescence imaging. Although migration to secondary lymphoid organs did not have a significantly impact from the absence of host IL-18, Tconv but not Treg expansion increased significantly. Absence of host IL-18 production translated into lower IFN-gamma levels in the early phase after transplantation. We conclude that host-derived IL-18 is a major factor for IFN-gamma production that may have a protective effect on CD4(+)-mediated aGVHD, but is nonessential for Treg expansion in an allogeneic environment.     

Contributions of CD4+, CD8+, and CD4+CD8+ T cells to skewing within the peripheral T cell receptor beta chain repertoire of healthy macaques.

Diversity in the peripheral T cell receptor repertoire of rhesus (Macaca mulatta) and pig-tailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina) has been studied by examining the profile of CDR3 lengths in TCR beta chains. Expressed CDR3 length distribution profiles for individual TCRBV families were obtained from total peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and T cell subsets isolated from PBMC. These studies reveal that the T cell receptor repertoire of PBMC from healthy macaques often exhibits skewing in TCRBV family CDR3 profiles. The skewing of TCRBV family CDR3 profiles was evident as discrete expanded length(s) and was detected in up to 50% of the PBMC profiles. Analyses of separated T cell populations demonstrated that the CD8+ T cell subset was responsible for the majority of observed skewing in CDR3 length profiles. However, CD4+ T cells were also shown to contribute to the skewed peripheral PBMC repertoire in these animals. While certain TCRBV families frequently displayed skewed profiles, there was no concordance in the particular CDR3 lengths expanded among the different animals. Furthermore, an additional feature of the peripheral blood of the animals studied was the presence of an unusual population of extrathymic CD4 and CD8+ (double-positive) T cells (up to 9.6% in the PBMC of rhesus macaques). The double-positive T cells could be differentiated from CD4 single-positive and CD8 single-positive T cells by their increased surface expression of LFA-1 and decreased CD62L expression. The percentage of the double-positive T cells was higher in rhesus than pig-tailed macaques and contributed substantially to the peripheral T cell repertoire.     

MHC class II-independent CD25+ CD4+ CD8alpha beta+ alpha beta T cells attenuate CD4+ T cell-induced transfer colitis

CD4+ alpha beta T cell populations that develop in mice deficient in MHC class II (through 'knockout' of either the Aalpha, or the Abeta chain of the I-A(b) molecule) comprise a major 'single-positive' (SP) CD4+ CD8- subset (60-90%) and a minor 'double-positive' (DP) CD4+ CD8alpha beta+ subset (10-40%). Many DP T cells found in spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) and colonic lamina propria (cLP) express CD25, CD103 and Foxp3. Adoptive transfer of SP but not DP T cells from Aalpha(-/-) or Abeta(-/-) B6 mice into congenic RAG(-/-) hosts induces colitis. Transfer of SP T cells repopulates the host with only SP T cells; transfer of DP T cells repopulates the host with DP and SP T cells. Anti-CD25 antibody treatment of mice transplanted with DP T cells induces severe, lethal colitis; anti-CD25 antibody treatment of mice transplanted with SP T cells further aggravates the course of severe colitis. Hence, regulatory CD25+ T cells within (or developing from) the DP T cell population of MHC class II-deficient mice control the colitogenic potential of CD25- CD4+ T cells.     

Differential effects of CD4+ and CD8+ cells in acute, systemic murine candidosis.

Monoclonal antibody (mAb) depletion was used to assess contributions of CD4+ and CD8+ cells in resistance to systemic murine Candida albicans infection. Depletion of CD8+ cells did not influence either survival or mean survival time (MST); however, depletion of CD4+ cells significantly enhanced both survival and MST. Combined depletion of both CD4+ and CD8+ cells significantly lengthened the MST but did not enhance survival. A protective influence of CD8+ cells could be deduced but, to be manifested, required depletion of an overshadowing immunopathologic CD4+ response.     

Role of the T cell receptor alpha chain in the development and phenotype of naturally arising CD4+CD25+ T cells

The T cell receptor alpha chain repertoire and the possible influence of the alpha chain on the development and phenotype of naturally arising mouse CD4+CD25+ T cells have not been extensively analysed. We used all available Valpha-specific monoclonal antibodies and a sensitive multiplex genomic DNA PCR assay to study the Valpha repertoire of CD4+CD25+ T cells in normal mice. To address whether CD4+CD25+ T cells express two TCR alpha chains, we have carried out four-colour flow cytometry using combinations of the available anti-Valpha reagents in mice where one allele of the TCRA locus had been inactivated. Results indicate that the Valpha repertoire of CD4+CD25+ T cells is as diverse as their CD25- partners. In addition, CD4+CD25+ T cells develop normally in Tcralpha+/- mice and we show for the first time that despite expressing only one TCRalpha chain, they retain their characteristic CD4(low), CD3(low), TCRbeta(low), CD5(high), CD45RB(low) and cytoplasmic CD152(high) phenotype.     

Interleukin 4-mediated induction of CD4+/CD8+ T cells during infancy.

Neonatal human CD4+ T cells will co-express CD8 on their surface following short-term culture with interleukin 4 (IL-4). Adult T cells do not respond in this manner. In this study we examine this phenomenon as a function of age and determine that IL-4 responsiveness decreases with time to approach adult levels at about 2 years. This phenomenon may be relevant to the documented ability of neonatal CD4+ T cells to function as suppressors.     

供体凋亡淋巴细胞预输注对猪肝移植受体CD4+T、CD8+T、CD4+CD25+调节性T细胞的影响

背景：凋亡细胞能够主动调节机体的免疫功能,并能通过调节机体细胞免疫和体液免疫的途径诱导免疫耐受,但这些结果只在大鼠肝脏移植模型中证实。 目的：探讨通过⁶⁰Co γ射线体外处理后的供体淋巴细胞预输注诱导猪肝移植特异性免疫耐受的作用中,对淋巴细胞亚群的影响。 方法：建立非转流小型猪原位肝移植模型。将受体猪随机摸球法均分为2组：空白对照组,受体猪无特殊处理,行肝移植;淋巴细胞组：受体猪在肝移植前7 d经耳静脉注射⁶⁰Co γ射线处理过的5×10⁸个供体淋巴细胞。观察两组受体猪移植后的存活时间,移植后T淋巴细胞亚型CD4⁺T、CD8⁺T、CD4⁺CD25⁺Tr变化及病理。 结果与结论：移植后3 d,两组病理活检均呈急性中、重度排斥反应;移植后6 d,两组均呈急性重度排斥反应。移植后1,3,6 d CD4⁺T、CD8⁺T、CD4⁺CD25⁺Tr升降趋势,两组间差异无显著意义(P > 0.05)。提示,⁶⁰Co γ射线体外处理过的淋巴细胞预输注未能够诱导猪同种异体肝移植特异性免疫耐受,未能引起T淋巴细胞亚群变化有关。     

Upregulation of CD4 on CD8+ T cells: CD4dimCD8bright T cells constitute an activated phenotype of CD8+ T cells

Aside from an intermediate stage in thymic T-cell development, the expression of CD4 and CD8 is generally thought to be mutually exclusive, associated with helper or cytotoxic T-cell functions, respectively. Stimulation of CD8+ T cells, however, induces the de novo expression of CD4. We demonstrate that while superantigen (staphylococcal enterotoxin B, SEB) and anti-CD3/CD28 costimulation of purified CD8+ T cells induced the expression of CD4 on CD8+ T cells by 30 and 17%, respectively, phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) stimulation did not induce CD4 expression on purified CD8+ T cells but significantly induced the expression of both CD4 on CD8 (CD4dimCD8bright) and CD8 on CD4 (CD4brightCD8dim) T cells in unfractionated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The level of the PHA-mediated induction of CD4dimCD8bright and CD4brightCD8dim was at 27 and 17%, respectively. Depletion of CD4+ T cells from PBMC abrogated this PHA-mediated effect. Autologous CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell co-cultures in the presence of PHA induced this CD4dimCD8bright T-cell expression by 33%, demonstrating a role for CD4 cells in the PHA-mediated induction of the double positive cells. The induction of CD4dimCD8bright was independent of a soluble factor(s). Phenotypic analysis of CD4dimCD8bright T cells indicated significantly higher levels of CD95, CD25, CD38, CD69, CD28, and CD45RO expression than their CD8+CD4- counterparts. CD4dimCD8bright T cells were also negative for CD1a expression and were predominantly T-cell receptor (TCR) alphabeta cells. Our data demonstrate that CD4dimCD8bright T cells are an activated phenotype of CD8+ T cells and suggest that CD4 upregulation on CD8+ T cells may function as an additional marker to identify activated CD8+ T cells.     

Activation-associated phenotype of CD3 T cells in acute graft-versus-host disease

During the effector phase of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) response, donor T cells play an essential role and they are believed to change the expression of activation and co-stimulatory markers associated with functional alloreactivity. We analysed the expression of CD25, CD69, HLA-DR, CD154 and CD134 on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells by flow cytometry during acute GvHD (aGvHD) in 24 patients receiving human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-identical stem cell transplants. Expression of these molecules in nine patients with stages I-IV aGvHD was compared with 15 patients without aGvHD (n = 15). Serial analysis showed that peripheral blood of aGvHD patients presented a significant increase of CD4+ CD25+ cells (P < 0.03), CD4+ CD69+ (P < 0.04) and CD4+ CD134+ cells (P < 0.01). Additionally, there was a significant increase in CD8+ cells expressing CD134 (P = 0.007) and CD154 (P = 0.02). After resolution of aGvHD, the increased expression of these molecules returned to values comparable to patients without aGvHD. Only two of the 15 patients without clinical signs of aGvHD presented activated T cells that could not be attributed to development of aGvHD. In summary, our data show that multiple activation molecules are preferentially up-regulated on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from patients with aGvHD. These patients had a significant increase in the expression of the co-stimulatory molecules CD134 and CD154.     

Expression of the interleukin-2 receptor alpha (CD25) is selectively decreased on decidual CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes in normal pregnancies

In a previous study, we demonstrated that the proportion of activated T cells (CD69+CD3+ and HLA-DR+CD3+) is higher in the endometrium and decidua after the luteal phase and throughout early pregnancy compared with in the peripheral blood. However, there was no difference in the proportion of CD25+CD3+ lymphocytes between the endometrium and peripheral blood. In this study, we further verify that the levels of CD25 on CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes are not increased in normal pregnancy, although the levels of CD69 and HLA-DR are markedly increased. We also elucidate that the amounts of all three activation molecules on local T lymphocytes are down-regulated in pregnancy compared with that during the luteal phase. Nevertheless, these decreases are significantly lessened in anembryonic pregnancies with both normal and abnormal karyotyping. However, in peripheral blood, the down-regulation of activation molecules levels in pregnancy is only demonstrated on CD4+ cells and for HLA-DR on CD8+ cells. Furthermore, dual activation marker analysis demonstrated that the expression of CD25 appears to be dissociated from CD69 and HLA-DR on the same decidual lymphocytes. Because IL-2Ralpha plays a pivotal role in the development and propagation of functional T cells, its depressed expression may result in maternal tolerance of the fetal allograft.     

Activated CD4+ CD25+ T cells suppress antigen-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells but induce a suppressive phenotype only in CD4+ T cells

CD4(+) CD25(+) regulatory T cells are increasingly recognized as central players in the regulation of immune responses. In vitro studies have mostly employed allogeneic or polyclonal responses to monitor suppression. Little is known about the ability of CD4(+) CD25(+) regulatory T cells to suppress antigen-specific immune responses in humans. It has been previously shown that CD4(+) CD25(+) regulatory T cells anergize CD4(+) T cells and turn them into suppressor T cells. In the present study we demonstrate for the first time in humans that CD4(+) CD25(+) T cells are able to inhibit the proliferation and cytokine production of antigen specific CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells. This suppression only occurs when CD4(+) CD25(+) T cells are preactivated. Furthermore, we could demonstrate that CD4(+) T-cell clones stop secreting interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), start to produce interleukin-10 and transforming growth factor-beta after coculture with preactivated CD4(+) CD25(+) T cells and become suppressive themselves. Surprisingly preactivated CD4(+) CD25(+) T cells affect CD8(+) T cells differently, leading to reduced proliferation and reduced production of IFN-gamma. This effect is sustained and cannot be reverted by exogenous interleukin-2. Yet CD8(+) T cells, unlike CD4(+) T cells do not start to produce immunoregulatory cytokines and do not become suppressive after coculture with CD4(+) CD25(+) T cells.     

CD4+ T cells clear virus but augment disease in mice infected with respiratory syncytial virus. Comparison with the effects of CD8+ T cells.

Respiratory syncytial (RS) virus-specific T cell lines were derived from the spleens of BALB/c mice primed by intranasal infection with RS virus. The lines were expanded by repeated antigenic stimulation in vitro, and separated into CD4+ and CD8+ T cell-enriched fractions by immunomagnetic adhesion. The effects of passive transfer of these fractions into RS virus infected mice were observed. The most severe immunopathological changes were seen in mice receiving CD4+ cells. Transfer of CD4+, CD8+ or both cell fractions caused RS virus-infected mice to become ill and lose weight. Both cell lines caused an increase in the severity of lung pathology (as monitored by bronchoalveolar lavage) with the appearance of lung haemorrhage and polymorphonuclear cell efflux. In addition, recipients of CD4+ cells developed striking pulmonary eosinophilia. In CD4+ cell recipients, 5 x 10(5) cells were sufficient to decrease lung virus titre, whereas 2 x 10(6) CD8+ cells were needed to produce a similar effect. The unseparated T cell line and the CD4+ cell fraction secreted significant amounts of IL-3, IL-4 and IL-5 (P less than 0.001). High levels of IL-2 were produced only by the unseparated T cell line. The CD8+ cell fraction secreted IL-3 only. The results show that, cell-for-cell, CD4+ cells are more anti-viral and more immunopathogenic than CD8+ cells in RS virus infected mice. Such effects may have contributed to the augmented disease seen in some infants vaccinated against RS virus.