title: Th1-like human T-cell clones recognizing Leishmania gp63 inhibit Leishmania major in human macrophages.
abstract: The major surface protease of Leishmania major, gp63, has been suggested as a vaccine candidate for cutaneous leishmaniasis. In this study gp63 was purified from L. major promastigotes. A panel of human T-cell clones recognizing this protein were generated from individuals who had previously had self-healing cutaneous leishmaniasis. The T-cell clones expressed CD4, and the alpha chain of the T-cell antigen receptor. GP63 reactive T-cell clones activated by antigen or by immobilized anti-CD3 antibody released relative large amounts of interferon-gamma and no or little interleukin-4, thereby resembling Th1 cells. Autologous mononuclear cells and Epstein-Barr virus-transformed B cell lines were equally efficient in presenting the antigen to the T cells. The gp63 reactive T cells induced resistance to infection in cultured human macrophages by L. major. The data confirm that human CD4+ T cells recognizing gp63 can take part in the host defence against L. major infections.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Medical Parasitology at Institute for Medical Microbiology and Immunology 24.2, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kemp
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Hey
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bendtzen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kharazmi
authors.forename: T G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Theander
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology*; D002999:Clone Cells; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018320:Leishmania major / Q000276:immunology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases; C055146:glycoprotein gp63, Leishmania