Importance of L3T4+ and Lyt-2+ cells in the immunologic control of infection with Mycobacterium bovis strain bacillus Calmette-Guérin in mice. Assessment by elimination of T cell subsets in vivo.
The course of infection after injection of small doses of bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) was studied in mice which were depleted in vivo of T cell subsets by administration of either anti-L3T4 or anti-Lyt-2 mAb. The results presented herein strongly suggest that the L3T4+ subpopulation play a pivotal role in the immunologic control of BCG infection because the depletion of L3T4+ cells led to a dramatic increase in the number of viable bacteria. Depletion of Lyt-2+ cells had no significant effect on the course of infection. These results were confirmed by using adoptive transfer experiments which showed that protective immunity was mediated by L3T4+ cells generated in the spleen as a result of infection. Moreover, T cells capable of controlling the recurrence of BCG multiplication from residual bacteria remaining in organs after the recovery from infection were shown to belong to the L3T4+ subpopulation.
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D000950:Antigens, Ly / Q000276:immunology*; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology*; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D051379:Mice; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000276:immunology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000662:veterinary*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D000950:Antigens, Ly; D000954:Antigens, Surface