Lymphocytes bearing the gamma delta T-cell receptor in acute toxoplasmosis.
Although the relative and absolute numbers of CD3+ cells (T lymphocytes) were similar in eight children with acquired Toxoplasma gondii infection and 10 uninfected age- and sex-matched healthy controls, the proportion of cells bearing the gamma delta T-cell receptor was significantly higher in the subjects with acute toxoplasmosis. The great majority of gamma delta T cells from the infected patients expressed covalently bound gamma delta chains on their surface, i.e. were BB3+ lymphocytes. Since the gamma delta T-cell subsets exert both restricted and unrestricted major histocompatibility complex cytotoxicity, further research is needed to elucidate the role of gamma delta T cells in the control of this coccidian protozoan infection.
Scalise
F
F
Department of Paediatrics, Perugia University Medical School, Italy.
Gerli
R
R
Castellucci
G
G
Spinozzi
F
F
Fabietti
G M
GM
Crupi
S
S
Sensi
L
L
Britta
R
R
Vaccaro
R
R
Bertotto
A
A
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000032:analysis*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000276:immunology*
D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta