title: T lymphocyte response to Neisseria gonorrhoeae porin in individuals with mucosal gonococcal infections.
abstract: T lymphocytes from a majority of patients with urogenital gonococcal disease (67%-80%) proliferated on incubation with gonococcal porin (Por), compared with minimal induced proliferation of T lymphocytes from normal volunteers. A significant increase in Por-specific interleukin (IL)-4-producing CD4+ T helper lymphocytes was seen in patients with mucosal gonococcal disease and not in normal controls. Similar results were observed in CD8+ T lymphocytes from these patients. There was no measured increase in IL-2, IL-10, IL-12, interferon-gamma, or tumor necrosis factor-alpha production by T lymphocytes from infected subjects on incubation with Por. Concomitant increases in IL-4 production in T lymphocytes from infected subjects expressing the mucosal addresin VLAalpha4/beta7 on their surface were also observed on Por incubation, but the increases were similar in T lymphocytes that were VLAalpha4/beta7 negative. In conclusion, mucosal gonococcal disease can induce Por-specific circulating T lymphocytes with a Th2 phenotype, and a portion of these Por-specific T lymphocytes can potentially traffic to mucosal surfaces.
authors.affiliation: The Maxwell Finland Laboratory for Infectious Diseases, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachussetts 02118, USA.
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Simpson
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Wetzler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D016023:Integrins / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000276:immunology*; D018272:Porins / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D016023:Integrins; D007376:Interleukin-2; D018272:Porins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C071777:integrin alpha4beta7; C057699:porin protein, Neisseria; D016753:Interleukin-10; D018664:Interleukin-12; D007371:Interferon-gamma