title: Characterization of humoral and cellular immune responses elicited by meningococcal carriage.
abstract: In order to study the immune response elicited by asymptomatic carriage of Neisseria meningitidis, samples of serum, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), and saliva were collected from a cohort of more than 200 undergraduate students in Nottingham, United Kingdom, who were subject to high rates of acquisition and carriage of meningococci. Serum immunoglobulin G levels were elevated following increases in the rate of carriage, and these responses were specific for the colonizing strains. In order to investigate T-cell responses, PBMCs from 15 individuals were stimulated with a whole-cell lysate of the H44/76 meningococcal strain (B:15:P1.7,16), stained to detect cell surface markers and intracellular cytokines, and examined by flow cytometry. The cells were analyzed for expression of CD69 (to indicate activation), gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) (a representative T-helper 1 subset [Th1]-associated cytokine), and interleukin-5 (IL-5) (a Th2-associated cytokine). Following a brief meningococcal stimulation, the numbers of CD69(+) IFN-gamma(+) CD56/16(+) NK cells were much higher than cytokine-positive CD4(+) events. Both IFN-gamma(+) and IL-5(+) events were detected among the CD69(+) CD4(+) population, leading to the conclusion that an unbiased T-helper subset response was elicited by meningococcal carriage.
authors.affiliation: Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University Hospital, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Neal
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stockton
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Atkinson
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Scarth
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Robins
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Todd
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kaczmarski
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Muscat
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Slack
authors.forename: D A A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Ala'Aldeen
mesh_terms: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D012463:Saliva / Q000276:immunology; D013334:Students; D013337:Students, Medical; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte