Selective activation and expansion of high-affinity CD4+ T cells in resistant mice upon infection with Leishmania major.
Using multimers of MHC class II molecules linked to a peptide derived from the Leishmania LACK antigen, we have compared the fate of parasite-specific CD4+ T cells in resistant and susceptible mice transgenic for the beta chain of a LACK-specific TCR. Activated T cells were readily detected in the draining lymph nodes of infected animals. Although the kinetics of activation and expansion were similar in both strains, T cells from susceptible and resistant mice expressed low- and high-affinity TCR, respectively. As T cells from resistant mice produced more IFN-gamma and less IL-4 than those from susceptible animals, our results suggest that differences in TCR usage between MHC-matched animals may influence the development of the antiparasite immune response.
Malherbe
L
L
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis, Valbonne, France.
Filippi
C
C
Julia
V
V
Foucras
G
G
Moro
M
M
Appel
H
H
Wucherpfennig
K
K
Guéry
J C
JC
Glaichenhaus
N
N
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D019281:Dimerization; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000276:immunology; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000276:immunology; D007700:Kinetics; D018320:Leishmania major / Q000276:immunology*; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D013205:Staphylococcal Protein A / Q000378:metabolism
D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D016207:Cytokines; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; C111389:I-Ad antigen; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D013205:Staphylococcal Protein A; C093139:LACK antigen, Leishmania