Induction of rapid T cell activation and tolerance by systemic presentation of an orally administered antigen.
To understand how orally introduced antigen regulates peripheral immune responses, we fed cytochrome c protein to mice transgenic for the beta chain of a cytochrome c-specific TCR and followed the antigen-specific T cell responses with a cyt c/I-Ek tetramer staining reagent. We find that within 6 hr of cytochrome c administration, antigen-specific systemic T cell activation is induced, and spleen cells gain the ability to stimulate cytochrome c-specific T cell responses. Feeding multiple low doses of cytochrome c down-regulates the systemic immune response, which can be correlated with a reduction of antigen-specific T cells and not with immune deviation. These results suggest that systemic distribution of antigen contributes significantly to oral tolerance induction.
Gütgemann
I
I
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University, California 94305, USA.
Fahrer
A M
AM
Altman
J D
JD
Davis
M M
MM
Chien
Y H
YH
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation; D000941:Antigens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D003574:Cytochrome c Group / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D000941:Antigens; D003574:Cytochrome c Group; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta