title: Phenotypic characterization of splenic T cells from mice infected with Plasmodium chabaudi chabaudi.
abstract: T cells from spleens of mice infected with the erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium chabaudi chabaudi have been analysed with respect to their expression of surface molecules CD3, CD4 and CD8 and T-cell receptor (TCR) alpha beta and gamma delta. The majority of T cells from infected mice were alpha beta TCR+. However, there was an increase of approximately 8-10-fold in the proportion and total number of gamma delta T cells. Immunocytochemical analysis of sections of spleens taken from infected C57BL/6 mice during a primary infection showed that this increase took place particularly in the non-lymphoid areas. Within the alpha beta TCR+ T-cell population, both CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells were represented in proportions similar to those observed in normal uninfected mice. Stimulation of splenic T cells from infected mice with P. chabaudi-infected erythrocytes in vitro resulted in a blasted cell population composed predominantly of alpha beta TCR+ T cells with no preferential expansion of gamma delta TCR+ T cells. There was no evidence of superantigen-like stimulation of T cells bearing particular V beta chains of the TCR. The representation of the different V beta chains within the population was not significantly different from that seen in uninfected mice.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institut für Immunologie, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Langhorne
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pells
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Eichmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D008288:Malaria / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D016788:Plasmodium chabaudi / Q000276:immunology*; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000032:analysis; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000032:analysis; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta