Increased gamma-delta T-lymphocyte response to Mycobacterium bovis BCG in major histocompatibility complex class I-deficient mice.
Mice with a homologous deletion of the beta 2-microglobulin gene (beta 2m-) are deficient in class I major histocompatibility complex molecules (MHC) and consequently are deficient in CD8+ T cells. These beta 2m- mutant mice control the intraperitoneal growth of an avirulent vaccine strain of mycobacteria, Mycobacterium bovis BCG, after intraperitoneal infection similarly to normal mice. We show that beta 2m- mice have an increased gamma-delta (gamma delta) T-cell response after infection with live avirulent mycobacteria. beta 2m- mice have an earlier and more sustained rise in the proportion of intraperitoneal gamma delta T cells, averaging 17% of T cells, compared with 6% in normal mice, at 28 days after infection. Compared with the population in normal mice, gamma delta T cells in the spleens of beta 2m- mice averaged a higher proportion of the total T-cell population of the spleen on days 5, 8, and 14 after intraperitoneal infection. These data document the kinetics of gamma delta T cells reactive to mycobacterial antigens in vivo without class I MHC restriction and support a role for class I MHC and CD8+ T cells in the in vivo regulation of gamma delta T cells.
Muller
D
D
Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison 53706, USA.
Pakpreo
P
P
Filla
J
J
Pederson
K
K
Cigel
F
F
Malkovska
V
V
D000818:Animals; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*; D007700:Kinetics; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D016513:Mice, SCID; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000276:immunology*; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000032:analysis*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*
D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin