title: Cytokine profiles of lesional and splenic T cells in Porphyromonas gingivalis infection in a murine model.
abstract: T cell cytokine profiles in the spleens and Porphyromonas gingivalis-induced lesions of P. gingivalis-immunized mice were examined. BALB/c mice were immunized with P. gingivalis outer membrane (OM) antigens/mouse weekly for 3 weeks followed by challenge with live organisms 2 weeks after the final immunization. Control mice were immunized with PBS. Spleens were excised at 0 and 4 days and lesions at 1, 4, and 7 days after challenge. Splenic and lesional CD4 and CD8 cells were stained for intracytoplasmic interleukin (IL)-4, interferon (IFN)-gamma, and IL-10. More than 50% of the T cells in the spleens of immunized mice were IFN-gamma positive at day 0 which was significantly higher than for IL-4 or IL-10, these levels decreasing significantly 4 days after challenge. Less than 6% of the T cells in sham immunized mice were cytokine positive at day 0, although at day 4, there was a significant increase in the percent IL-10 positive CD4 cells and IL-4 and IL-10 positive CD8 cells. There were no differences in the percent IL-4, IFN-gamma, or IL-10 positive T cells in the lesions of immunized mice, but there was a dramatic decrease at day 7 to very low levels in control mice. In conclusion, the results of the present study show a predominant Th1 response in the spleens of BALB/c mice after immunization with P. gingivalis OM antigens, suggesting that a protective immune response to P. gingivalis may involve a strong IFN-gamma response.
authors.affiliation: Immunopathology Laboratory, Oral Biology and Pathology, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. e.gemmell@mailbox.uq.edu.au
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gemmell
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Winning
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Bird
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Seymour
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D016866:Bacteroidaceae Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D004396:Coloring Agents; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007114:Immunization; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000032:analysis; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000032:analysis; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D016966:Porphyromonas gingivalis / Q000276:immunology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D004396:Coloring Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D016753:Interleukin-10; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma