A critical role of T-cell receptor gamma/delta cells in antibacterial protection in mice early in life.
Although it is generally assumed that T-cell receptor (TCR) gamma/delta cells participate in protection against intracellular microbial pathogens, their impact remains controversial. In our study, young (14-day-old) mice lacking TCRgamma/delta cells were far more susceptible to Listeria monocytogenes than wild-type (WT) mice of the same age. The number of interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) producers responsible for antilisterial resistance was significantly higher among natural killer (NK)1(+) TCRgamma/delta cells than among NK1(-) TCRgamma/delta cells. Endogenous IFN-gamma neutralization increased susceptibility of young WT mice to L. monocytogenes infection. Liver was a major residence of peripheral NK1(+) TCRgamma/delta cells, whereas NK1(-) TCR gamma/delta cells were broadly distributed in various lymphoid organs. Numbers of both NK1(+) and NK1(-) TCRgamma/delta cells increased in the liver of WT mice prior to TCRalpha/beta cells and represented a substantial population in early life (14 days after birth). Virtually all NK1(+) TCRgamma/delta cells expressed activation markers, whereas substantial numbers of NK1(-) TCRgamma/delta cells showed a naive phenotype. We conclude that TCRgamma/delta cells play a critical role in protection against L. monocytogenes in the early life of mice, probably because their TCRalpha/beta cell compartment is not fully competent. For this antibacterial function, we assign NK1(+) TCRgamma/delta cells a more important role than their NK1(-) cognates.
Department of Immunology, Max-Planck-Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany.
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M
Emoto
M
M
Miyamoto
Y
Y
Emoto
J
J
Zerrahn
S H
SH
Kaufmann
D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology*; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000473:pathology; D008088:Listeriosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D010641:Phenotype; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000032:analysis*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D007371:Interferon-gamma