title: Human gamma/delta T cells responding to mycobacteria.
abstract: Responses of human T cells against mycobacteria and mycobacterial components were analysed. T cells expressing either the alpha/beta or the gamma/delta T cell receptor were selected from human peripheral blood lymphocytes and proliferative responses to intact mycobacteria and to molecular mass-fractionated mycobacterial lysates were determined. alpha/beta T cells responded primarily to fractions greater than 30 kDa. Protease digestion abolished the stimulating activities for alpha/beta T cells, confirming that alpha/beta T cells respond to protein components. In contrast components recognized by gamma/delta T cells proved resistant to protease digestion. In limiting dilution studies, frequencies of proliferating gamma/delta T cells remained virtually unaltered by protease treatment of stimulating lysates, while those of alpha/beta T cells became almost undetectable. Furthermore, only few gamma/delta T cells responded to the 65 kDa heat shock protein. Our data indicate that, unlike alpha/beta T cells, gamma/delta T cells respond to mycobacterial components which are resistant to vigorous protease digestion.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Technical University of Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pfeffer
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schoel
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gulle
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kaufmann
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wagner
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004261:DNA Replication; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell