IFN-gamma regulates Fas ligand expression in human CD4+ T lymphocytes and controls their anti-mycobacterial cytotoxic functions.

Fas and Fas Ligand (FasL) expression, activation-induced cell death (AICD) and mycobacterial antigen-specific cytotoxicity of peripheral T cells from patients with complete inherited IFN-gamma receptor 1 binding chain deficiency (IFN-gammaR1-/-) were investigated. Fas was equally expressed in both normal and deficient T lymphoblasts and they underwent apoptosis when stimulated with agonist anti-Fas mAb. By contrast, T lymphoblasts and CD4+ T cell clones (TCC) from deficient patients displayed a reduced surface FasL expression and resistance to AICD. CD8+ TCC from healthy and deficient patients displayed similar high level of FasL and susceptibility to AICD. In Jurkat CD4+ T cells competent to transduce IFN-gamma signaling, IFN-gamma induced surface FasL export and their Fas-dependent apoptosis. Effector T cells generated from a patient with a dominant negative mutation of IFN-gammaR1 (IFN-gammaR1DN) following stimulation with mycobacterial antigens were unable to kill MHC class II-matched, mycobacterial antigen-pulsed macrophages. Normal Fas expression in T cells and FasL in CD8+ cells may account for the absence of autoimmune disorders in these patients. Conversely, defective FasL expression on IFN-gammaR1DN CD4+ T cells impairs their cytotoxic functions and highlights a novel role for IFN-gamma signaling in the control of mycobacterial infection in humans.