T-cell contact-dependent regulation of CC and CXC chemokine production in monocytes through differential involvement of NF kappa B: implications for rheumatoid arthritis

We and others have reported that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) synovial T cells can activate human monocytes/macrophages in a contact-dependent manner to induce the expression of inflammatory cytokines, including tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha). In the present study we demonstrate that RA synovial T cells without further activation can also induce monocyte CC and CXC chemokine production in a contact-dependent manner. The transcription factor NF kappa B is differentially involved in this process as CXC chemokines but not CC chemokines are inhibited after overexpression of I kappa B alpha, the natural inhibitor of NF kappa B. This effector function of RA synovial T cells is also shared by T cells activated with a cytokine cocktail containing IL-2, IL-6 and TNF alpha, but not T cells activated by anti-CD3 cross-linking that mimics TCR engagement. This study demonstrates for the first time that RA synovial T cells as well as cytokine-activated T cells are able to induce monocyte chemokine production in a contact-dependent manner and through NF kappa B-dependent and NF kappa B-independent mechanisms, in a process influenced by the phosphatidyl-inositol-3-kinase pathway. Moreover, this study provides further evidence that cytokine-activated T cells share aspects of their effector function with RA synovial T cells and that their targeting in the clinic has therapeutic potential.