Cellular target of in vitro-induced suppressor cells derived from the spleen of Mycobacterium lepraemurium-infected mice and role of IFN-gamma in their development.
Unfractionated spleen cells from C3H mice infected a few weeks before with Mycobacterium lepraemurium developed a suppressor activity after overnight culture. This requires contact of plastic adherent cells with nonadherent cells distinct from T, B, or natural killer cells. The present study demonstrates that anti-interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) monoclonal antibody and indomethacin totally abrogate the expression, although not the induction, of this activity. Furthermore, culture-induced suppressor cells selectively inhibit T lymphocyte proliferation, probably by altering the generation of interleukin-2 (IL-2) responsiveness through reduction of the affinity and density of high-affinity IL-2 receptors on activated cells. These and other previously determined properties of culture-induced suppressor cells, similar to those of adherent suppressor cells detected in freshly harvested spleen cells at a later stage of M. lepraemurium infection, suggest a common precursor. If so, the present observations should help in defining a strategy to prevent the impairment of cell-mediated immunity in infected mice.
Gosselin
D
D
Centre de recherche en immunologie, Institut Armand-Frappier, Université du Québec, Laval, Canada.
Turcotte
R
R
Lemieux
S
S
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D009167:Mycobacterium lepraemurium / Q000276:immunology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007376:Interleukin-2; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D007213:Indomethacin