title: alpha beta and gamma delta T cells in the immune response to the erythrocytic stages of malaria in mice.
abstract: Mice lacking T cells with alpha beta TCR (TCR beta-/-) or gamma delta TCR (TCR delta-/-) were infected with the erythrocytic stages of the malaria parasite, Plasmodium chabaudi chabaudi (AS). Mice without gamma delta T cells could control and reduce a primary infection of P. chabaudi with a slight delay in the time of clearance of the acute phase of infection and significantly higher recrudescent parasitaemias compared with control intact mice. TCR delta -/- mice had higher levels of both serum Ig and malaria-specific antibodies of the isotypes IgG3 and IgG1 compared with control mice. TCR beta -/- mice, despite a striking increase in NK1.1+ cells and the presence of gamma delta T cells, were unable to clear their infection. Although the plasma of TCR beta -/- mice contained all Ig isotypes before and during a primary infection, they were unable to produce significant levels of malaria-specific IgG antibodies, suggesting that in the absence of alpha beta T cells gamma delta T cells are not able to provide efficient help for antibody production.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institut für Immunbiologie, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Langhorne
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mombaerts
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tonegawa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000097:blood; D008288:Malaria / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D016788:Plasmodium chabaudi / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology*; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta