BCG-activated NK cells regulate the antibody response to SRBC and restore immune reactivity to PPD in BCG-infected mice.
C57B1/6 mice show a significant increase in the number of natural killer (NK) cells in the peritoneal cavity, four days after intraperitoneal infection with Mycobacterium bovis strain BCG. Cell transfer experiments demonstrated that BCG-induced NK cells are able to depress the induction of antibody response to an unrelated antigen (i.e., sheep red blood cells) in recipient mice. The involvement of macrophages, B and T cells in the phenomenon was ruled out by using different purification steps. In addition, BCG-induced NK cells were shown to be able of partially restoring the DTH response to PPD in recipient mice that were anergic to the latter antigen as a consequence of intravenous infection with large doses of BCG.
Falcone
V
V
Dipartimento di Biomedicina, Sperimentale, Infettiva e Pubbica, University of Pisa, Italy.
Marelli
P
P
Zolfino
I
I
Campa
M
M
D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D015536:Down-Regulation; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology*; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000276:immunology*; D010529:Peritoneal Cavity; D014373:Tuberculin / Q000276:immunology*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000276:immunology*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D014373:Tuberculin