title: Human gamma/delta T-cell response to Listeria monocytogenes protein components in vitro.
abstract: Listeria monocytogenes is a facultative intracellular pathogen that replicates inside mononuclear phagocytes and induces specific cellular immunity. Listeriosis encompasses many clinical syndromes and meningitis is the most frequent clinical manifestation. Human alpha/beta and gamma/delta T cells have been shown to respond to L. monocytogenes antigens and to play an important role in resistance against listerial infection. We investigated the nature of listerial ligands and the influence of the major virulence factor, listeriolysin (hly), on the stimulation of human gamma/delta T cells from healthy individuals. We found that a listerial somatic protein ligand, which is sensitive to proteinase treatment, stimulated gamma/delta T cells in vitro; the majority of Listeria-responsive gamma/delta T cells expressed V gamma 9V delta 2 T-cell receptor chains and human leucocyte antigen-DR molecules; gamma/delta T-cell responses to hly+ and hly- Listeria strains were comparable; L. monocytogenes strains of different virulence stimulated gamma/delta T cells equally. Thus, protein components of L. monocytogenes unrelated to virulence activate human gamma/delta T cells in vitro.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, University of Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Munk
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Elser
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kaufmann
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D019286:Endopeptidase K; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000494:pharmacology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D019286:Endopeptidase K; C038705:hlyA protein, Listeria monocytogenes