T cell proliferation in Mycobacterium lepraemurium infection. II. Characterization of cells that transfer resistance in subcutaneously infected mice.
T lymphocyte proliferation, Lyt phenotypes and their role in the evolution of protective immunity were studied in BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice infected subcutaneously with Mycobacterium lepraemurium. Antigen-induced proliferation was not demonstrable with T-enriched cells obtained from the spleens. However, these cells were capable of spontaneously proliferating in the absence of added antigen for a limited period. This proliferation was dependent on the presence of a phagocytic and adherent accessory cell. During the period when the T cells proliferated spontaneously they consisted of a mixture of Lyt-1 and Lyt-23 and were able to transfer protection to syngeneic recipient mice. Furthermore, the multiplication of the organisms was curbed during the same period demonstrating a strong association between the ability to proliferate spontaneously Lyt-1/Lyt-23 cells and protective immunity. T cells from normal BALB/c mice showed a marked suppressive effect on protection suggesting that these cells may be responsible for the susceptibility of this strain to a moderate subcutaneous infection.
D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D009167:Mycobacterium lepraemurium / Q000276:immunology; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial