title: Gamma interferon is produced by human natural killer cells but not T cells during Staphylococcus aureus stimulation.
abstract: Gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) production from cultured human peripheral blood mononuclear cells was studied during stimulation with Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I or S. aureus Wood. IFN-gamma was specifically produced from CD16+ natural killer (NK) cells under stimulation by S. aureus Cowan I or Wood because these strains (i) induced IFN-gamma production exclusively from CD3-, CD4- CD8-, and CD16+ cells and (ii) induced CD69 and interleukin 2 (IL-2) receptor alpha expression on CD16+ cells without simultaneously augmenting CD71 or IL-2 receptor alpha on T cells. The effects of biological agents on the induction of S. aureus-induced IFN-gamma production paralleled those of S. aureus-induced CD69 expression on CD16+ cells: IL-2, IFN-alpha, and indomethacin augmented the S. aureus-induced IFN-gamma production, whereas IL-4, transforming growth factor beta 1, prostaglandin E2, and dexamethasone inhibited it. However, IFN-alpha was unique in that it did not induce IFN-gamma production from NK cells while it simultaneously augmented CD69 expression on NK cells, suggesting a unique pathway in the activation of NK cells. Thus, we may conclude that S. aureus-induced IFN-gamma production appears to faithfully represent NK cell function within peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Kobe University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yoshihara
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shiozawa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chihara
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D000099192:CD69 Antigens
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin; D000099192:CD69 Antigens; C068126:CD71 antigen