Demonstration of a cell-mediated immune response in melioidosis.
Melioidosis is a bacterial infection caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei. The aim of this study was to determine whether a cell-mediated adaptive immune response against B. pseudomallei developed in patients who had recovered from melioidosis. Lymphocyte proliferation assays were done on peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients (n=13) and control subjects (n=10) to determine the lymphocyte response to B. pseudomallei antigens. Production of interferon-gamma and interleukin-10 was also determined. Activation of T cell subsets was assessed by fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis, using antibodies to CD4, CD8, and CD69 antigens. Lymphocyte proliferation and interferon-gamma production in response to B. pseudomallei antigens were significantly higher (P<.001 for both) in patients than in control subjects. There was also an increase in the percentage of activated CD4+ (P<.004) and activated CD8+ T cells (P<.035) in cell cultures from patients. The development of such a cell-mediated immune response in patients may be essential for their survival.
Ketheesan
Natkunam
N
School of Medicine, James Cook University, Queensland 4811, Australia. N.Ketheesan@jcu.edu.au
Barnes
Jodie L
JL
Ulett
Glen C
GC
VanGessel
Helen J
HJ
Norton
Robert E
RE
Hirst
Robert G
RG
LaBrooy
Justin T
JT
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D016957:Burkholderia pseudomallei / Q000276:immunology*; D002455:Cell Division; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008554:Melioidosis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D016753:Interleukin-10; D007371:Interferon-gamma