Primary responses of human T cells to mycobacteria: a frequent set of gamma/delta T cells are stimulated by protease-resistant ligands.
T lymphocyte subsets expressing either T cell receptor alpha/beta or gamma/delta were selected from human peripheral blood T cells and proliferative responses to molecular mass-fractionated mycobacterial lysates were determined. alpha/beta T cells primarily responded to fractions greater than 30 kDa whereas gamma/delta T cells preferentially reacted to fractions less than 3 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.
Pfeffer
K
K
Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Technical University Munich, FRG.
Schoel
B
B
Gulle
H
H
Kaufmann
S H
SH
Wagner
H
H
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000502:physiology*; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases