Th2-type immunopathological manifestations induced by mercury chloride or gold salts in the rat: signal transduction pathways, cellular mechanisms and genetic control

Heavy metals induce various immunopathological disorders including an increase in serum IgE concentration in predisposed humans. The effects of HgCl2 or gold salts differ depending on the strain of rats tested: they induce Th2-mediated immunopathology in Brown–Norway (BN) rats while HgCl2 triggers an immunosuppression in Lewis (LEW) rats. The disease is due to the emergence of self-MHC class II reactive Th2 cells in BN rats. Autoreactive T cells are also found in HgCl2-injected LEW rats but they produce TGFβ and IL-10 and have immunoregulatory properties. Hg or Au act on the early steps of T cell activation resulting in IL-4 and IFNγ gene expression with preferential IL-4 expression in BN rats. Analyzing the effects of HgCl2 on T cells led us to identify a new signaling pathway implicated in IL-4 production. An important feature of this model concerns genetics. Indeed Th2-dependent autoimmunity induced by metals occurs only in BN rats that are genetically committed to develop Th2 responses. Cellular features at play are discussed as well as the identification of loci that control both the Th1/Th2 balance and susceptibility to autoimmunity.