The pathogenesis of trehalose dimycolate-induced interstitial pneumonitis. III. Evidence for a role for T lymphocytes.
Trehalose dimycolate, a glycolipid component of the cell walls of mycobacteria, induces interstitial pneumonitis and alveolar hemorrhages in C57BL/6 and C57BL/10 mice. Homozygous nude (nu/nu) mice of these backgrounds are not susceptible to this form of pulmonary injury. However, after administration of T-lymphocyte-enriched spleen cell preparations from syngeneic donors, homozygous nude mice become susceptible to trehalose dimycolate. The observations suggest that production of pulmonary lesions by this mycobacterial component is dependent on T lymphocytes. While the mechanisms are still under study, we propose that trehalose dimycolate can function as an activator of T lymphocytes and that products of activated T cells are responsible for production of the pulmonary lesions.
D000818:Animals; D003311:Cord Factors; D005260:Female; D006017:Glycolipids; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008819:Mice, Nude; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000473:pathology; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology / Q000637:transplantation; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology
D003311:Cord Factors; D006017:Glycolipids