Effects of in vivo T lymphocyte subset depletion on mycobacterial infections in mice.
The relative importance of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subsets in the expression of acquired resistance to systemic infection by Mycobacterium kansasii was determined. T cell subsets were depleted in thymectomized C57BL/6 mice by the intravenous administration of monoclonal antibodies directed against the relevant T cell determinants. Depletion of the CD4+ subset exacerbated the severity of the infection in intravenously challenged mice. This effect was apparent in the first 2 weeks of the infection and persisted throughout the 12 weeks of the study. On the other hand, depletion of the CD8+ cells had no apparent effect on the growth curves. Infections by Mycobacterium tuberculosis Erdman or bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) Pasteur were also substantially enhanced by CD4 depletion, but not by the depletion of CD8+ cells. The effect of subset depletion on infections by M. tuberculosis and BCG was examined in both innately susceptible C57BL/6 mice and innately resistant B6D2 mice.
Trudeau Institute Inc., Saranac Lake, New York 12983.
C M
CM
Flory
R D
RD
Hubbard
F M
FM
Collins
D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D008212:Lymphocyte Depletion; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000276:immunology*; D010641:Phenotype; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*
D016827:CD8 Antigens