Paradoxical presence of T cell anergy during successful T cell-dependent tumour immunotherapy: characterization of a state of T cell 'amnaesia' following systemic administration of C. parvum.
Systemic administration of Corynebacterium parvum causes T cell-dependent regression of an established methylcholanthrene-induced murine fibrosarcoma beginning 10 days after Cp injection. At this time, tumour specific effector T cell responses measured by reactivity in a T helper cell assay or in a Winn assay disappear only to return later. We refer to this temporary lapse in T cell reactivity as immunological 'amnaesia'. Antigen specific T cell responses within all lymphoid organs appear to be affected. The 'amnaesic' state is characterised by the presence of primed T cells but the absence of T effector cells and suppressor cells. The differentiation of the primed T cells is blocked probably as a result on the non-delivery of a differentiation signal. There are several possible mechanisms which could account for this; the one we prefer is that cells are prevented from entering T cell-dependent cell interaction areas within lymphoid organs. This state of T cell 'amnaesia' may underlie anergy in some inflammatory, infectious and neoplastic diseases. The apparent paradox of T cell-dependent tumour regression occurring in mice with depressed T cell responses is discussed.
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D005354:Fibrosarcoma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000628:therapy*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008748:Methylcholanthrene; D051379:Mice; D011425:Propionibacterium acnes / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors
D007376:Interleukin-2; D008748:Methylcholanthrene