Listeria monocytogenes-infected hepatocytes are targets of major histocompatibility complex class Ib-restricted antilisterial cytotoxic T lymphocytes.
Subclinical infection of BALB/c mice with the intracellular bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes results in the development of protective antilisterial immunity. L. monocytogenes can infect hepatocytes, and antilisterial cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) lyse Listeria-infected hepatocytes in a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class Ia-restricted manner. It remained to be determined whether L. monocytogenes-infected hepatocytes are susceptible to MHC class Ib-restricted cytolysis. In this study, we showed that hepatocytes express MHC class Ib molecule Qa-1(b) mRNA and protein. We further showed that Listeria-infected hepatocytes are susceptible to MHC class Ib-restricted cytolysis, since C57BL/6-derived Listeria-infected hepatocytes were lysed by BALB/c-derived antilisterial CTL. These results establish that Listeria-infected hepatocytes are susceptible to cytolysis by MHC class Ib restricted Listeria-specific CTL.
Bouwer
H G
HG
Immunology Research, VA Medical Center, Portland, Oregon 97201, USA. bouwera@ohsu.edu
Bai
A
A
Forman
J
J
Gregory
S H
SH
Wing
E J
EJ
Barry
R A
RA
Hinrichs
D J
DJ
D000818:Animals; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000276:immunology; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D006183:H-2 Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000276:immunology*; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013234:Stem Cells; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*
D006183:H-2 Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; C032907:Q surface antigens