Contribution of alpha/beta and gamma/delta T lymphocytes to immunity against Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette Guérin: studies with T cell receptor-deficient mutant mice.
Mutant mice with defined T cell deficiencies were infected with Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette Guérin (BCG) and the relative contribution of alpha/beta T cells and gamma/delta T cells to the host immune response was assessed. Recombinase activating gene (RAG-1)-/- mutants as well as T cell receptor (TcR) beta-/-, but not TcR-delta-/-, mutants succumbed to M. bovis BCG infection and failed to develop granulomatous lesions. Antigen-induced IFN-gamma production by spleen cells in vitro was abrogated in RAG-1-/- mutants and markedly diminished in TcR-beta-/- and TcR-delta-/- mice. Reconstitution experiments suggest that both alpha/beta and gamma/delta T cells are essential for antigen-specific IFN-gamma secretion. Our data formally prove the crucial role of alpha/beta T cells and reveal accessory functions of gamma/delta T cells in optimum immunity against M. bovis BCG.
Ladel
C H
CH
Department of Immunology, University of Ulm, Germany.
Hess
J
J
Daugelat
S
S
Mombaerts
P
P
Tonegawa
S
S
Kaufmann
S H
SH
D000818:Animals; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006099:Granuloma / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000235:genetics; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000276:immunology*; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology
D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; C064658:RAG-1 protein; D007371:Interferon-gamma