title: Pertussigen enhances antigen-driven interferon-gamma production by sensitized lymphoid cells.
abstract: We have studied the effects on interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production of pertussigen, a protein toxin from Bordetella pertussis that augments and prolongs delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reactions. Lymphoid cell suspensions from immunized mice were incubated with antigen or mitogen, and the culture supernatants were assayed for IFN-gamma. The production of IFN-gamma on exposure to specific antigen or concanavalin A was greatly enhanced if mice were given pertussigen at the time of immunization. There was no detectable IFN-gamma production when cells were exposed to saline or to an irrelevant antigen. The effect of pertussigen on antigen-driven IFN-gamma production correlated with its effect on the capacity of the same cell populations to transfer DTH. The enhanced IFN-gamma production by cells from mice given pertussigen could not be attributed to an increased antigen-presenting capacity of this cell population. Production of IFN-gamma was abolished if the cells were pretreated with emetine, but not with mitomycin C, and the release of IFN-gamma was not detected in the first 8 hr of culture. After immunization with pertussigen, IFN-gamma was produced by lymph node and spleen cells from 7 days onward and both cell types produced IFN-gamma until at least 30 days after immunization. It is suggested that the augmentation of antigen-specific IFN-gamma production may contribute to the prolonged DTH reactions induced by pertussigen in vivo.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D004640:Emetine / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000166:cytology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D016685:Mitomycin; D008937:Mitomycins / Q000494:pharmacology; D037342:Pertussis Toxin; D013997:Time Factors; D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D008937:Mitomycins; D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella; D016685:Mitomycin; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D037342:Pertussis Toxin; D004640:Emetine