Nature of "memory" in T-cell-mediated antibacterial immunity: anamnestic production of mediator T cells.
Mice that survived an immunizing infection with Listeria monocytogenes remained specifically resistant to lethal secondary infection for several months. This acquired, long-lived state of resistance was not dependent on activated macrophages that remained after the primary response. It depended, instead, on an acquired long-lived capacity on the part of immunized mice for generating mediator T cells faster and in larger numbers than normal mice. The number of mediator T cells generated in response to secondary infection was proportional to the level of infection. The results suggest that the accelerated production of mediator T cells that occurs in response to secondary infection represents the expression of a state of immunological T-cell memory.
D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008805:Mice, Inbred A; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012477:Salmonella enteritidis / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000494:pharmacology
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D014747:Vinblastine