Protective role of gamma/delta T cells and alpha/beta T cells in tuberculosis.
Tuberculosis is a chronic infectious disease which causes major health problems globally. Although acquired resistance crucially depends on alpha/beta lymphocytes, circumstantial evidence suggests that, in addition, gamma/delta T lymphocytes contribute to protection against tuberculosis. We have studied Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in TcR-delta-/- or TcR-beta-/- gene deletion mutants which completely lack gamma/delta T cells or alpha/beta T cells, respectively. Low inocula of M. tuberculosis led to death of TcR-beta-/- mice and transient disease exacerbation in TcR-delta-/- mutants. Infection with higher inocula caused rapid death of TcR-delta-/- mice. The development of and bacterial containment in granulomatous lesions was markedly impaired in TcR-beta-/-, and less severely affected in TcR-delta-/- mutants. Mycobacteria-induced IFN-gamma production by spleen cells in vitro was almost abolished in TcR-beta-/- and virtually unaffected in TcR-delta-/- mice. Our data confirm the crucial role of alpha/beta T cells in protection against established tuberculosis and formally prove a protective role of gamma/delta T cells in early tuberculosis.
Ladel
C H
CH
Department of Immunology, University of Ulm, Germany.
Blum
C
C
Dreher
A
A
Reifenberg
K
K
Kaufmann
S H
SH
D000818:Animals; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000235:genetics; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000235:genetics; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014375:Tuberculoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*
D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D007371:Interferon-gamma