Interferon-γ production by Listeria monocytogenes-specific T cells active in cellular antibacterial immunity

✍ Scribed by Stefan H. E. Kaufmann; Helmut Hahn; Rudolf Berger; Holger Kirchner

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1983
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 382 KB
• Volume: 13
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0014-2980
• DOI: 10.1002/eji.1830130318

✦ Synopsis

Interferon-y production by Listeria monocytogenesspecific T cells active in cellular antibacterial immunity*

Cultures of peritoneal exudate T lymphocyte-enriched cells (PETLEC) from Listeria monocytogenes-immune mice, antigen-presenting cells (APC) and heat-killed L. monocytogenes produced high amounts of interferon-y (IFN-y). High IFN titers were also observed after stimulation of L. monocytogenes-immune cell cultures with the T cell mitogens concanavalin A and phytohemagglutinin. L. monocytogenesimmune PETLEC produced several fold higher IFN titers than normal cell cultures in response to mitogen and antigen. Under both circumstances, APC were required for optimum responses. L. monocytogenes-immune PETLEC participating in IFN production were Lyt 1+23-. IFN-y was also produced in cultures of cloned L. monocytogenes-specific T cells. Since the same T cell clone showed antigen-specific proliferative responses and interleukin production in vitro, and could adoptively mediate delayed-type hypersensitivity and anti-listerial protection in vivo, it is suggested that IFN production is a function of specific T cells active in cellular antibacterial immunity.