Selective activation and expansion of high-affinity CD4+ T cells in resistant mice upon infection with Leishmania major

Immunity. 2000 Dec;13(6):771-82. doi: 10.1016/s1074-7613(00)00075-3.

Abstract

Using multimers of MHC class II molecules linked to a peptide derived from the Leishmania LACK antigen, we have compared the fate of parasite-specific CD4+ T cells in resistant and susceptible mice transgenic for the beta chain of a LACK-specific TCR. Activated T cells were readily detected in the draining lymph nodes of infected animals. Although the kinetics of activation and expansion were similar in both strains, T cells from susceptible and resistant mice expressed low- and high-affinity TCR, respectively. As T cells from resistant mice produced more IFN-gamma and less IL-4 than those from susceptible animals, our results suggest that differences in TCR usage between MHC-matched animals may influence the development of the antiparasite immune response.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Antigens, Protozoan / immunology*
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Dimerization
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / immunology
  • Immunity, Innate / immunology
  • Kinetics
  • Leishmania major / immunology*
  • Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / immunology*
  • Lymphocyte Activation / immunology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Protozoan Proteins / immunology*
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / genetics
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / immunology
  • Staphylococcal Protein A / metabolism

Substances

  • Antigens, Protozoan
  • Cytokines
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class II
  • I-Ad antigen
  • Protozoan Proteins
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta
  • Staphylococcal Protein A
  • LACK antigen, Leishmania