title: Immune responses against Streptococcus pyogenes in human palatine tonsils.
abstract: We investigated cellular immunity against Streptococcus pyogenes in human tonsils by measuring antigen-specific immunoglobulin-secreting cells and the production of cytokines from CD4+ T cells in response to M proteins. The incidence of S pyogenes in tonsils was significantly higher in patients with recurrent tonsillitis (RT) than in patients with tonsillar hypertrophy (TH). M protein-specific immunoglobulin A (IgA) and immunoglobulin G spot-forming cells were increased in patients with RT compared with patients with TH. In RT the number of M protein-specific IgA spot-forming cells was significantly greater in the S pyogenes-negative subjects than in the S pyogenes-positive subjects. Proliferation of CD4+ T cells and production of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukins -2, -4, -5, and -6 (IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-6) from those T cells were observed in response to M protein. The concentrations of IFN-gamma and IL-4 were higher in RT than in TH. These findings suggest that S pyogenes is associated with the pathogenesis of RT and that immune responses against M protein may play an important role in preventing the colonization of this bacteria in tonsils.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Oita Medical University, Hasama-machi, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kerakawauchi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kurono
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mogi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D064211:Connectin; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D009194:Myeloma Proteins; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D012008:Recurrence; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000276:immunology*; D014069:Tonsillitis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D064211:Connectin; D016207:Cytokines; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D009194:Myeloma Proteins; C085016:multiple myeloma M-proteins; C014689:streptococcal M protein