Difference in Signal Transduction for IL-10 and IFN-γ Production in a CD8+T Cell Clone

CD8+T cell clones produced both interleukin 10 (IL-10) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) when these cells were stimulated with a T-cell-specific mitogen, concanavalin A (Con A). One of these CD8+T cell clones, 13G2, secreted IFN-γ at similar levels with calcium ionophore, A23187, as well as by Con A, but IL-10 production by A23187 was less than by Con A. On the other hand, N6, O2-dibutyryl cAMP enhanced the production of IL-10 but not IFN-γ when the low doses of Con A or A23187 coexisted. In a T cell clone, the production of these two cytokines required different signal transductions. These results indicate that a T cell clone can produce diverse cytokines depending on the surrounding condition.