Lack of interferon γ receptor β chain and the prevention of interferon γ signaling in T_H1 Cells

The ability of interferon γ (IFN-γ) to inhibit the proliferation of type 2 T helper cells (T_H2), but not that of type 1 (T_H1) cells, suggests that helper cell subsets might differ in their activation of the IFN-γ signaling pathway. The IFN-γ-inducible signal transducing factor (STF-IFNγ) was activated in murine T _H2 but not in T_H1 cell clones, because in the latter the second chain of the IFN-γ receptor (accessory factor 1 or IFN-γRβ) was absent. Thus, T_H1 cells use receptor modification to prevent the activation of STF-IFNγ and achieve an IFN-γ-resistant state.