- Perrigoue, Jacqueline G;
- Saenz, Steven A;
- Siracusa, Mark C;
- Allenspach, Eric J;
- Taylor, Betsy C;
- Giacomin, Paul R;
- Nair, Meera G;
- Du, Yurong;
- Zaph, Colby;
- van Rooijen, Nico;
- Comeau, Michael R;
- Pearce, Edward J;
- Laufer, Terri M;
- Artis, David
Dendritic cells can prime naive CD4+ T cells; however, here we demonstrate that dendritic cell-mediated priming was insufficient for the development of T helper type 2 cell-dependent immunity. We identify basophils as a dominant cell population that coexpressed major histocompatibility complex class II and interleukin 4 message after helminth infection. Basophilia was promoted by thymic stromal lymphopoietin, and depletion of basophils impaired immunity to helminth infection. Basophils promoted antigen-specific CD4+ T cell proliferation and interleukin 4 production in vitro, and transfer of basophils augmented the population expansion of helminth-responsive CD4+ T cells in vivo. Collectively, our studies suggest that major histocompatibility complex class II-dependent interactions between basophils and CD4+ T cells promote T helper type 2 cytokine responses and immunity to helminth infection.