title: Cutting edge: immunity and IFN-gamma production during Listeria monocytogenes infection in the absence of T-bet.
abstract: The T-box transcription factor T-bet is an important regulator of IFN-gamma production in all cell types and is considered to be essential for the generation of CD4 Th1 T cells. IFN-gamma in turn plays a critical role in immunity to many infectious agents. In this study, we demonstrate that T-bet is not required for host resistance to primary Listeria monocytogenes (LM) infection. In the innate immune phase, control of LM replication, serum IFN-gamma, and numbers of IFN-gamma-producing NK cells were similar in T-bet-deficient and control mice. In the adaptive immune phase, there was no defect in bacterial clearance or in the numbers of LM-specific IFN-gamma-producing CD8 T cells in T-bet-deficient mice and only a modest, although significant, reduction in the numbers of Th1 CD4 T cells and IFN-gamma secretion by CD4 T cells. Thus, host resistance and the generation of IFN-gamma-producing cells in response to LM infection are not substantially compromised in the absence of T-bet.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
authors.forename: Sing Sing
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Way
authors.forename: Christopher B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000235:genetics; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000276:immunology*; D008088:Listeriosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D008099:Liver / Q000382:microbiology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D055651:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B; D011506:Proteins; D013154:Spleen / Q000382:microbiology; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D000098815:T-bet Transcription Factor
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D055651:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B; D011506:Proteins; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins; D000098815:T-bet Transcription Factor; D014157:Transcription Factors; D007371:Interferon-gamma