gamma delta T cells do not play a major role in controlling infection in experimental cysticercosis.
Protective immunity against larval Taenia crassiceps has been shown to rely on T cells; however, the roles of the specific subsets of T cells during infection are not known. To investigate a possible role for gamma delta T cells, this study investigated larval infection in delta-chain knock-out C57BL/6 (deltaKO) and wild-type C57BL/6 mice. It was found that deltaKO mice and C57BL/6 mice were equally susceptible to infection suggesting gamma delta T cells do not play a major role in protective immunity. Cytokine production by concanavalin A (ConA)-stimulated spleen cells from infected deltaKO mice and C57BL/6 mice were determined. All infected mice demonstrated an increased IL-10 production suggesting a Th1-inhibitory function. Cells from infected deltaKO mice and C57BL/6 mice did not show increases in IL-4 production. Heavily-infected C57BL/6 mice showed a decrease in IFN-gamma production compared to deltaKO mice. These observations suggest that an increase in IL-10 production best correlates with a non-protective immune response. To make comparisons between in vitro cytokine production and systemic immune responses, cytokine levels in serum were determined. C57BL/6 mice and deltaKO mice showed increases in serum levels of IL-4 and IFN-gamma at 52 days post-infection. The systemic immune response of these mice, therefore, is a mixed Th1/Th2-type response and gamma delta T cells are apparently not responsible for the systemic increases in these cytokines.
Toenjes
S A
SA
Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27109, USA.
Spolski
R J
RJ
Mooney
K A
KA
Kuhn
R E
RE
D000818:Animals; D003551:Cysticercosis / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D013622:Taeniasis / Q000276:immunology*
D016207:Cytokines; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D016753:Interleukin-10; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma