Expression of T-cell-associated serine proteinase 1 during murine Leishmania major infection correlates with susceptibility to disease.
The expression of T-cell-associated serine proteinase 1 (MTSP-1) in vivo during Leishmania major infection was analyzed in genetically resistant C57BL/6 mice and in genetically susceptible BALB/c mice. Using a monoclonal antibody as well as an RNA probe specific for MTSP-1 to stain tissue sections, we found T cells expressing MTSP-1 in skin lesions and spleens of mice of both strains. In skin lesions, MTSP-1-positive T cells could be detected as early as 3 days after infection. Most importantly, the frequency of T cells expressing MTSP-1 was significantly higher in susceptible BALB/c mice than in resistant C57BL/6 mice. These findings suggest that MTSP-1 is associated with disease-promoting T cells and that it may be an effector molecule involved in the pathogenesis of cutaneous leishmaniasis.
Institut für Klinische Mikrobiologie, Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Federal Republic of Germany.
H
H
Moll
C
C
Müller
R
R
Gillitzer
H
H
Fuchs
M
M
Röllinghoff
M M
MM
Simon
M D
MD
Kramer
D000818:Animals; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D007895:Leishmania tropica; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000032:analysis*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology
D012697:Serine Endopeptidases