title: Immunomodulating properties of lymphocytes activated by farmer's lung associated bacterium Thermoactinomyces vulgaris in vitro.
abstract: Thermoactinomyces vulgaris, one of the aetiological agents of farmer's lung, was analysed for its ability to activate non-immune spleen lymphocytes from 10- to 14- week-old mice. The lymphocytes were found to exert both enhancing and suppressing signals after activation, depending on the secondary stimulation used. The enhancing effect is due to interleukin-2 secreted mainly by L3T4+ lymphocytes. The suppressive action is associated with Lyt2+ lymphocytes, which are probably activated by prostaglandins or histamine; but the suppression inducer action of L3T4+ lymphocytes may also be important. Genetic regulation, independent of H-2K and D, was also detected between different inbred strains of mice in response to T. vulgaris. The genetic regulation appeared associated with the different responsiveness of Lyt-2 positive lymphocytes between different strains. These results emphasize the importance of nonspecific activation in hypersensitivity disorders induced by microbiol antigens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, University of Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Jägerroos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D005203:Farmer's Lung / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008848:Micromonosporaceae / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial