Selective Down-Regulation of Th2 Cytokines by C-Terminal Binding Protein 2 in Human T Cells

Background: Among several C-terminal binding proteins (CtBPs), friend of GATA (FOG) has been implicated in the down-regulation of GATA-3-mediated Th2 cell differentiation. Here we investigated the role of CtBP2 in Th1 and Th2 cytokine expression in human T cells. Methods: CtBP2 was introduced into human peripheral CD4+ T cells by a lentiviral transduction system. Subsequently, the expression of Th1 and Th2 cytokine mRNA was determined by quantitative real-time RT-PCR. Results: CtBP2 significantly suppressed stimulation-induced expression of IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 in human T cells. However, IFN-γ expression was not affected by the introduction of CtBP2. Conclusion: CtBP2 selectively down-regulates Th2 cytokines, therefore it is a potential target for the treatment of allergic diseases.