title: T lymphocytes in acute bacterial infection: increased prevalence of CD11b(+) cells in the peripheral blood and recruitment to the infected site.
abstract: T-cell activation, particularly of CD8(+) cells, is invariably associated with viral infections. We now provide evidence for the activation of T cells in patients with localized bacterial soft tissue infections. During acute disease we detected in the peripheral blood of these patients, small though conspicuous populations of CD4(+) CD28(+) CD11b(+) and CD8(+) CD28(+) CD11b(+) cells, indicative of an expansion of effector T cells. Moreover, we identified CD4(+) and CD8(+) cells at the infected site, in addition to highly activated polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN). In keeping with their role as first-line defence, PMN were preponderant, but T cells amounted to 20% of the infiltrated cells. The majority of the infiltrated T cells expressed CXCR6, a homing receptor for non-lymphoid tissue. The infiltrated T cells produced interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), while the peripheral blood cells obtained at the same time did not. In conclusion, in response to localized bacterial infections, T cells are activated and recruited to the infected site. We propose that these T cells, e.g. by producing IFN-gamma, enhance the efficiency of the infiltrated phagocytic cells, particularly of the PMN, thereby supporting the local host defence.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Immunologie, Universität Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Christof
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Dimitra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kotsougiani
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pioch
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Prior
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wentzensen
authors.forename: Gertrud Maria
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Hänsch
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D039481:CD11b Antigen / Q000276:immunology*; D051927:CD24 Antigen / Q000276:immunology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002634:Chemotaxis, Leukocyte; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology; D000075744:Receptors, CXCR6; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine / Q000032:analysis; D011991:Receptors, Virus / Q000032:analysis; D018461:Soft Tissue Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D039481:CD11b Antigen; D051927:CD24 Antigen; C106330:CXCR6 protein, human; D000075744:Receptors, CXCR6; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine; D011991:Receptors, Virus; D007371:Interferon-gamma