title: Mechanism of depletion of T lymphocytes from the spleen of mice infected with Listeria monocytogenes.
abstract: Marked changes in the splenic lymphocyte populations during murine infection with Listeria monocytogenes were observed histologically and quantitated by the immunofluorescence of Thy-1+ immunoglobulin (Ig-) (T) and Ig+ (B) cells. Cells were depleted from the T-dependent areas of the spleen, and the number of T cells in suspensions prepared from spleens of mice 1 to 3 days after primary or secondary infection were less than 1/10 of normal. High numbers of alcohol-killed Listeria sp. did not cause any depletion. Depletion was not prevented by adrenalectomy. Although injected radiolabeled T cells distributed normally between spleen, liver, lymph node, and gut in infected mice, there appeared to be a barrier to their entry into depleted T-dependent areas of the spleen. Evidence for the destruction of T cells, but not of B cells, in the infected mouse spleen was obtained.
mesh_terms: D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D004064:Digestive System / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008088:Listeriosis / Q000473:pathology*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D013154:Spleen / Q000473:pathology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*