Minimal contribution of Valpha14 natural killer T cells to Th1 response and host resistance against mycobacterial infection in mice.
We elucidated the contribution of Valpha14 NKT cells to Th1 response and host resistance against mycobacterial infection. In Valpha14 NKT cell-deficient mice, host defense and DTH response to Mycobacterium bovis BCG were not different from wild-type mice after pulmonary infection. There was no significant difference in the lung concentrations of IFN-gamma between the two strains of mice. In addition, host defense to systemic infection with M. tuberculosis was similar to that of M. bovis. Our results indicate that Valpha14 NKT cells play only a marginal role, if any, in the Th1 response and host resistance to mycobacterial infection.
Kawakami
Kazuyoshi
K
First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan. kawakami@med.u-ryukyu.ac.jp
Kinjo
Yuki
Y
Uezu
Kaori
K
Yara
Satomi
S
Miyagi
Kazuya
K
Koguchi
Yoshinobu
Y
Nakayama
Toshinori
T
Taniguchi
Masaru
M
Saito
Atsushi
A
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000276:immunology; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*
D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma