Specific expression of surface interferon‐γ on interferon‐γ producing T cells from mouse and man

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Interferon (IFN)‐γ is a potent immunoregulatory protein secreted by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and by natural killer cells. Here, we show that IFN‐γ is specifically displayed at a low concentration on the cell surface of those activated T cells from mouse and man which express IFN‐γ. It is transiently expressed on the cell surface with kinetics similar to those of intracellular IFN‐γ expression. Detectable surface IFN‐γ is not expressed by activated T helper (Th) cells producing other cytokines but which do not express IFN‐γ. Thus, surface IFN‐γ is the first available marker for live T lymphocytes expressing IFN‐γ, e.g. Th1 cells.