Sequential analysis of T cells in the liver during murine listerial infection.
Phenotypes and functions of T cells in the liver were studied after an i.p. inoculation with viable Listeria monocytogenes in mice. T cells in the liver of untreated C3H/HeN mice (C3H; H-2k, Mls-2a) contain Thy-1.2+TCR-alpha beta + cells as a majority and Thy-1.2+TCR-gamma delta + cells and Thy-1.2-TCR-gamma delta + cells as minorities. The liver of untreated C3H mice did not contain T cells expressing V beta 3 and V beta 11, which are potentially autoreactive against self-superantigens of Mls-2a and Dvbl, respectively. On days 3 to 6 after infection, Thy-1.2-CD4lowTCR-alpha beta + T cells or Thy-1.2-TCR-gamma delta + T cells increased significantly in number and proportion in the liver whereas T cells with these phenotypes were hardly detected in the spleen, lymph nodes, peripheral blood, and peritoneal cavity during the course of the infection. The Thy-1.2-CD4lowTCR-alpha beta T cells contained V beta 3 or V beta 11-bearing cells in high frequencies. The potentially autoreactive V beta 3- or V beta 11-bearing T cells disappeared from the liver on day 7 after infection. Furthermore, the V beta 3+ and V beta 11+ cells but not V beta 8+ cells disappeared after culture for 24 h at 37 degrees C. In vitro stimulation of liver T cells using anti-V beta 11 mAb showed no proliferative response. These results suggest that the potentially autoreactive clones with Thy-1.2-CD4low phenotypes, which increased in number after listerial infection, may be anergized after interaction with self-Ag and may be programmed to die. These potentially autoreactive clones induced in the liver of Listeria-infected mice may not be functionally relevant to the host defense against Listeria.
Department of Immunology, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
K
K
Hiromatsu
G
G
Matsuzaki
Y
Y
Tauchi
Y
Y
Yoshikai
K
K
Nomoto
D000818:Animals; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D008088:Listeriosis / Q000276:immunology*; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000032:analysis; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens
D000954:Antigens, Surface; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens