人白细胞介素12表达质粒与Mtb8.4基因疫苗 联合免疫增强对小鼠结核杆菌感染的免疫保护效果

本课题旨在研究结核分枝杆菌Mtb8.4基因疫苗与人白细胞介素12（hIL-12）联合免疫小鼠所诱导的细胞免疫应答及对小鼠结核杆菌感染的免疫保护效果。40只C57BL/6N小鼠随机分为Mtb8.4基因疫苗＋hIL-12质粒组（联合免疫组）、Mtb8.4基因疫苗组、卡介苗（BCG）组、空载体组和PBS组,基因疫苗、空载体和PBS,经肌内注射法免疫各组小鼠,每隔3周免疫1次,共免疫3次,BCG组经尾部皮下注射1×106 CFU BCG免疫1次。免疫4周后,每组处死3只小鼠,采用酶联免疫吸附法（ELISA）检测脾细胞培养上清中细胞因子水平;乳酸脱氢酶（LDH）释放法检测细胞毒性T细胞（CTL）杀伤活性。每组其余5只小鼠用结核杆菌H37Rv强毒株经尾静脉攻击,4周后,计数肺和脾组织中的结核杆菌菌落数,对小鼠部分肺和脾组织作病理切片,HE染色观察组织病变程度,Z-N染色查抗酸杆菌,观察该疫苗对小鼠结核杆菌感染的免疫保护效果。结果显示,联合免疫组能诱导较强的抗原特异性Th1型细胞免疫应答,免疫小鼠脾细胞培养上清液IFN-γ和IL-2水平（分别为1493.34±8.128pg/mL、747.489±48.676pg/mL）,显著高于Mtb8.4基因疫苗组,与BCG组相当,IL-4分泌减少,特异性CTL杀伤活性增强,对小鼠结核杆菌感染有较好的免疫保护效果,使小鼠肺和脾组织中的结核杆菌菌落数显著减少,组织病变明显减轻,其效果与卡介苗（BCG）组相当,优于Mtb8.4基因疫苗组。表明hIL-12表达质粒与Mtb8.4基因疫苗联合免疫后,能够增强Mtb8.4基因疫苗所诱导的细胞免疫应答,使Mtb8.4基因疫苗的免疫效力得到很大提高。     

大剂量HBsAg对HBV转基因小鼠T细胞免疫调节的研究

目的：研究大剂量HBsAg对HBV转基因小鼠其T细胞免疫效果的影响。方法：用大剂量血源性HBsAg免疫HBV转基因小鼠,采用ELISA方法观察转基因小鼠所诱生的HBsAg特异性Th1类细胞因子的水平,ELISPOT方法检测不同免疫方案对小鼠HBsAg特异性分泌IFN-γT细胞数量的影响,同时检测对小鼠淋巴细胞增殖的影响。结果：HBsAg组免疫后脾细胞产生的Th1类细胞因子（IFN-γ、IL-2）、HBsAg特异性分泌IFN-γT细胞及T细胞增殖水平较对照组显著增加（P〈0.05）。结论：大剂量的HBs-Ag可以诱导乙肝转基因小鼠产生高水平Th1类细胞因子并打破免疫耐受。     

结核杆菌Ag85B基因疫苗的免疫保护效果研究

为研究结核杆菌Ag85B基因疫苗的免疫原性和免疫保护效果,将雌性C57BL/6N小鼠32只,随机分为4组,即结核杆菌Ag85B基因疫苗组、BCG组、pcDNA3.1( )组和PBS组.取各免疫组小鼠脾细胞培养上清检测细胞因子水平;同时进行CTL杀伤活性检测;进一步用结核杆菌H37Rv国际标准强毒株静脉注射攻击小鼠,计数肺和脾组织中的结核杆菌菌落数,对小鼠部分肺和脾组织作病理切片,HE染色观察组织病变程度,Z-N染色检查抗酸杆菌,观察该疫苗对小鼠结核杆菌感染的免疫保护效果.结果表明,结核杆菌Ag85B基因疫苗对小鼠结核杆菌感染有一定的免疫保护效果,能够诱导较强的抗原特异性Th1型细胞免疫应答,细胞因子IFN-γ和IL-1分泌增加,IL-4分泌减少,CTL特异性活性增加;使小鼠肺和脾组织中的结核杆菌菌落数较空载体组显著减少,组织病变明显减轻.     

EV71与CA16双价灭活疫苗诱导小鼠免疫原性研究

目的评价EV71和CA16双价灭活疫苗免疫小鼠诱导的体液免疫和细胞免疫应答。方法分别应用EV71和CA16双价疫苗、EV71和CA16单价疫苗按单针、两针(0,14 d)的程序免疫小鼠,采用细胞病变法检测血清第1针免疫后21 d时中和抗体效价,应用LUMINEX液相芯片技术检测小鼠脾单个核细胞体外经抗原刺激分泌细胞因子的水平。结果双价疫苗与EV71单价疫苗单针、两针免疫相比,EV71中和抗体几何平均值相近(118.8∶84.0;159.5∶156.8,P0.05)。双价疫苗与CA16单价疫苗单针免疫诱导的CA16中和抗体均为阴性;两针免疫CA16中和抗体几何平均值一致(30.0∶26.9,P0.05)。加强免疫7 d后,小鼠脾MNC经EV71抗原刺激,双价疫苗较EV71单价疫苗诱导Th2类细胞因子IL-4、5、6、10和炎症因子TNF-α的分泌水平显著增高(P=0.020,P=0.027,P=0.038,P=0.019,P=0.026);MNC经CA16抗原刺激,双价疫苗与CA16单价疫苗相比诱导细胞因子水平差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论双价疫苗可诱导与单价疫苗相似的中和抗体应答水平,并可提高Th2类细胞因子应答,研究为EV71和CA16双价灭活疫苗的研发提供了实验依据。     

免疫共刺激分子OX40L对乙型肝炎核酸疫苗的免疫佐剂作用

[目的]为了进一步增强HBV DNA疫苗的免疫反应,本研究将共刺激分子OX40L 作为HBV DNA疫苗的分子佐剂免疫小鼠,旨在探讨共刺激分子OX40L对HBV DNA疫苗诱导体液和细胞免疫应答的影响.[方法]我们将HBV DNA疫苗(pcDS2)单独或联合共刺激分子质粒pOX40L免疫C57BL/6小鼠;分别在第0,2,4周进行免疫,在第6周检测抗-HBs IgG、IgG1和IgG2a,T淋巴细胞增殖指数,细胞因子表达水平和体内细胞毒性T淋巴细胞杀伤作用(CTL)等免疫学指标.[结果]pceDS2联合pOX40L免疫组小鼠的抗-HBs水平显著提高,抗-HBs IgG亚类以IgG2a占优;免疫小鼠的T淋巴细胞体外经乙型肝炎表面抗原(HBsAg)刺激后,联合免疫组刺激指数(SI)明显高于pcDS2组;联合免疫组CD4 + T淋巴细胞的IL-4和IFN-γ表达水平及CD8 + T淋巴细胞的IFN-γ表达水平显著升高;DNA疫苗免疫的各组小鼠,HBsAg特异性体内CTL高于对照组,其中联合免疫组小鼠的体内CTL杀伤作用最强.[结论]共刺激分子OX40L不仅能增强HBV DNA疫苗诱导特异性体液免疫应答,还能增强特异性细胞免疫反应,尤其增强体内CTL的杀伤活性,为HBV DNA疫苗的研究奠定了基础.     

重组CHO细胞乙肝表面抗原诱导小鼠细胞免疫应答的研究

为了研究重组CHO细胞乙肝表面抗原(CHO-rHBsAg)在小鼠中诱导T细胞免疫应答的能力,全面评价疫苗的免疫原性,以CHO-rHBsAg免疫BALB/c小鼠,常规制备小鼠脾脏淋巴细胞并在体外以抗原或特异多肽刺激;采用ELISA法测定抗原特异性T淋巴细胞分泌的细胞因子,乳酸脱氢酶法(LDH)测定抗原特异性细胞毒T淋巴细胞(CTL)活性,酶联斑点法(ELISPOT)测定CTL频数(CTLp),应用流式细胞仪分析T淋巴细胞亚群。结果显示,rHBsAg可在小鼠中诱导Th1及Th2类细胞因子;加铝佐剂的rHBsAg较未加佐剂的抗原可诱导较高水平的IFN-γ、CTL克隆及较高百分比的CD8+T淋巴细胞亚群。重组CHO细胞来源的HBsAg可在BALB/c小鼠中诱导一定程度的细胞免疫应答。     

超抗原SEA增强小鼠对HBV DNA 疫苗的免疫反应

观察超抗原SEA(D227A)的真核表达载体（pmSEA）, 对HBV DNA 疫苗诱导Balb/c 小鼠(H2d）免疫应答的调节作用。 肌内注射空载体pcDNA3、HBV DNA 疫苗加pmSEA佐剂（pHBVS2S+pmSEA）或不加佐剂（pHBVS2S）; ELISA 法测定血清抗HBs; ELISPOT检测分泌IFN-γ的脾淋巴细胞;4 h51Cr 释放法检测小鼠脾细胞CTL 活性。HBV DNA佐剂组免疫小鼠抗HBsAg抗体滴度明显高于不加佐剂组,其IgG1/IgG2a的比例不同于多肽免疫组,二者分别为0.282与10。HBV DNA佐剂组均能增强IgG1和IgG2a的产生,是不加佐剂组的1.36、1.73倍。佐剂组小鼠脾淋巴细胞IFN-γ的分泌量是不加佐剂组2～3倍。CTL 细胞杀伤活性（E:T=100）佐剂组与不加佐剂组分别为：69.77%±7.5%、 42.81%±7.7%,差异显著(P<0.05)。HBV DNA 疫苗具有较强的免疫原性, 能够诱导机体产生特异性的抗体及CTL反应;pmSEA佐剂能够提高小鼠对DNA 疫苗的免疫应答,有望成为DNA 疫苗的免疫佐剂。     

结核分枝杆菌持续感染小鼠模型的建立及其免疫特征

为建立小鼠结核分枝杆菌持续感染模型并研究其免疫应答特征,选取雌性C57BL/6小鼠,经尾静脉感染结核分枝杆菌H37Rv株,并以异烟肼和利福平联合治疗。分别于感染后4、8、12周处死小鼠,用平板法计数肺和脾荷菌数,酶联免疫吸附试验(ELISA)检测血清中特异性抗体水平及亚类,流式细胞术检测CD4+脾淋巴细胞经结核分枝杆菌抗原——纯化蛋白衍生物(PPD)刺激后分泌细胞因子的细胞比例。结果显示,感染4周后小鼠肺和脾荷菌数lg CFU分别达3.67±0.25和3.54±0.24,至少持续8周;药物治疗可有效降低脏器荷菌数。感染12周后,感染组血清中抗结核分枝杆菌特异性抗体水平显著升高(P0.01),且以IgG1为主;治疗组总IgG抗体水平显著低于感染组(P0.01),且IgG2a相对较高(P0.05)。感染组CD4+脾淋巴细胞中γ干扰素(IFN-γ)和白细胞介素2(IL-2)分泌细胞比例显著增加(P0.01和P0.001),而IL-4分泌细胞比例显著降低(P0.01);治疗组IL-2和IL-4分泌细胞比例显著低于正常组(P0.05和P0.01)。本研究建立的小鼠结核分枝杆菌持续感染模型有望用于结核病治疗性疫苗和药物的研发及筛选。     

表面表达猪流行性腹泻病毒核蛋白蛋白的重组干酪乳杆菌诱导产生的免疫应答

为探讨表达猪流行性腹泻病毒(PEDV)核蛋白(N)基因的重组干酪乳杆菌口服免疫小鼠后诱导特异性免疫应答,本研究制备表达流行性腹泻病毒核蛋白的重组干酪乳杆菌,应用Western blotting、间接免疫荧光和全细胞ELISA鉴定目的蛋白的表达。然后用该重组干酪乳杆菌口服免疫BALB/c小鼠,分别测定了免疫后不同时间血清中特异性IgG、粪便中特异性的sIgA水平以及血清的中和活性;并测定免疫小鼠脾淋巴细胞增殖情况和细胞因子水平。结果显示,目的蛋白表达在细胞表面,可被阳性血清所识别。免疫小鼠后,可分别在血清中和粪便中检测到较高水平特异性IgG、sIgA(P<0.01),但血清并没有中和活性;淋巴细胞增殖试验和细胞因子测定结果显示,免疫组可产生明显的细胞免疫应答。结果表明,该重组干酪乳杆菌表达系统可诱导小鼠产生黏膜免疫应答和系统免疫应答,具有作为口服疫苗潜在的应用价值。     

大剂量HBsAg 对HBV 转基因小鼠T 细胞免疫调节的研究

目的:研究大剂量HBsAg对HBV转基因小鼠其T细胞免疫效果的影响。方法:用大剂量血源性HBsAg免疫HBV转基因小鼠,采用ELISA方法观察转基因小鼠所诱生的HBsAg特异性Th1类细胞因子的水平,ELISPOT方法检测不同免疫方案对小鼠HBsAg特异性分泌IFN-γT细胞数量的影响,同时检测对小鼠淋巴细胞增殖的影响。结果:HBsAg组免疫后脾细胞产生的Th1类细胞因子(IFN-γ、IL-2)、HBsAg特异性分泌IFN-γT细胞及T细胞增殖水平较对照组显著增加(P<0.05)。结论:大剂量的HBs-Ag可以诱导乙肝转基因小鼠产生高水平Th1类细胞因子并打破免疫耐受。     

Differential immune responses and protective efficacy induced by components of a tuberculosis polyprotein vaccine, Mtb72F, delivered as naked DNA or recombinant protein

Key Ags of Mycobacterium tuberculosis initially identified in the context of host responses in healthy purified protein derivative-positive donors and infected C57BL/6 mice were prioritized for the development of a subunit vaccine against tuberculosis. Our lead construct, Mtb72F, codes for a 72-kDa polyprotein genetically linked in tandem in the linear order Mtb32(C)-Mtb39-Mtb32(N). Immunization of C57BL/6 mice with Mtb72F DNA resulted in the generation of IFN-gamma responses directed against the first two components of the polyprotein and a strong CD8(+) T cell response directed exclusively against Mtb32(C). In contrast, immunization of mice with Mtb72F protein formulated in the adjuvant AS02A resulted in the elicitation of a moderate IFN-gamma response and a weak CD8(+) T cell response to Mtb32c. However, immunization with a formulation of Mtb72F protein in AS01B adjuvant generated a comprehensive and robust immune response, resulting in the elicitation of strong IFN-gamma and Ab responses encompassing all three components of the polyprotein vaccine and a strong CD8(+) response directed against the same Mtb32(C) epitope identified by DNA immunization. All three forms of Mtb72F immunization resulted in the protection of C57BL/6 mice against aerosol challenge with a virulent strain of M. tuberculosis. Most importantly, immunization of guinea pigs with Mtb72F, delivered either as DNA or as a rAg-based vaccine, resulted in prolonged survival (>1 year) after aerosol challenge with virulent M. tuberculosis comparable to bacillus Calmette-Guérin immunization. Mtb72F in AS02A formulation is currently in phase I clinical trial, making it the first recombinant tuberculosis vaccine to be tested in humans.     

Novel vaccination protocol with two live mucosal vectors elicits strong cell-mediated immunity in the vagina and protects against vaginal virus challenge

Most HIV infections result from heterosexual transmission to women. Because cellular immunity plays a key role in the control of the infection, we sought to strengthen cellular immune responses in vaginal tissue. We explored a novel prime-boost protocol that used two live mucosal agents that trigger different pathways of innate immunity and induce strong cellular immunity. Adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5) has frequently been used as a boost for DNA vaccines. In this study we used attenuated, recombinant L. monocytogenes-gag (rLm-gag) to prime mice by various mucosal routes-oral, intrarectal, and intravaginally (ivag)-followed by a systemic or mucosal boost with replication-defective rAd5-gag. Mice primed with a single administration of rLm-gag by any route and then boosted with rAd5-gag intramuscularly exhibited abundant Gag-specific CD8 T cells in spleen and vaginal lamina propria. Conversely, when boosted with rAd5-gag ivag, the immune response was reoriented toward the vagina with strikingly higher CD8 T cell responses in that tissue, particularly after ivag immunization by both vectors (ivag/ivag). Five weeks to 5 mo later, ivag/ivag-immunized mice continued to show high levels of effector memory CD8 T cells in vagina, while the pool of memory T cells in spleen assumed a progressively more central memory T cell phenotype. The memory mice showed high in vivo CTL activity in vagina, a strong recall response, and robust protection after ivag vaccinia-gag challenge, suggesting that this prime-boost strategy can induce strong cellular immunity, especially in vaginal tissues, and might be able to block the heterosexual transmission of HIV-1 at the vaginal mucosa.     

In Vitro Studies on the Immunological Memory for Antibody Response to Bovine Serum Albumin

Immunological memory for T and B cells was studied in an in vitro culture system with spleen cells from mice primed with bovine serum albumin (BSA). Spleen cells taken from mice immunized at various times previously with a single intravenous injection of alum-precipitated (AP) BSA and bacterial endotoxin (ET) were cultured in Marbrook's system with dinitrophenylated (DNP) BSA as the in vitro antigen. In the cultures of spleen cells obtained from mice primed more than 14 days previously, an IgG-predominant anti-BSA response was generated. However, no anti-BSA response was observed in the culture of spleen cells taken from mice primed 7 days previously (day 7 spleen cells). The failure of day 7 spleen cells to generate an antibody response in vitro was shown to be attributable to both the lack of B memory cells and the effect of “suppressive” macrophages induced by ET. On the other hand, anti-BSA memory in the spleen of mice primed with AP-BSA plus ET and 2 months later challenged with AP-BSA matured within 7 days and declined rather quickly by 30 days after the challenge. The difference in the time course of the generation of memory between the spleen cells from primary and from secondary immunized mice might be attributable to the difference in the maturation of memory B cells, since the time course of the development of memory T cells after the secondary immunization was similar to that observed after primary immunization.     

Relationships between exposure, cell loss and proliferation, and manifestation of Hprt mutant T cells following treatment of preweanling, weanling, and adult male mice with N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea

Experiments were performed to characterize the age-related patterns of appearance and frequency of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (Hprt) mutant T lymphocytes in thymus and spleen following exposure of preweanling (12-day-old), weanling (22-day-old), and young adult (8-week-old) male B6C3F1 mice to ethylnitrosourea (ENU). Mice were given single i.p. injections of 0 or 40 mg ENU/kg and then groups of animals were necropsied from 2 h to 116 days after treatment to examine the relationships between exposure, cell loss and proliferation, and the frequency of Hprt mutant T cells in thymus and spleen. Hprt mutant frequency (Mf) data for thymus of ENU-exposed (0, 11.7, 35, 58, or 72 mg/kg, or five weekly doses of 1.7 mg/kg i.p.) male C57BL/6 mice (12- or 62-week-old), obtained during an earlier study of spleen cells [I.M. Jones, K. Burkhart-Schultz, C.L. Strout, T.L. Crippen, Factors that affect the frequency of thioguanine-resistant lymphocytes in mice following exposure to ethylnitrosourea, Environ. Mutagen. 9 (1987) 317–329.], were compared to results in B6C3F1 mice. Isolated T cells were cultured in the presence of mitogen, growth factor, and 6-thioguanine to detect Hprt mutants. The time required to achieve maximum Mfs in thymus was uniformly found at 2 weeks after ENU treatment, while the times needed to reach peak values in spleen were proportional to animal age at treatment. These data indicate that age-related differences in the appearance of Hprt mutant cells in spleen are largely defined by the physiologically based, age-dependent trafficking of mutant cells from or through the thymus. Three modes of handling the resulting Hprt Mf data were evaluated: (i) comparing the Mfs at a single time point, (ii) comparing the maximum Mfs observed, and (iii) comparing the change in Mfs over time (or the mutant T cell ‘manifestation’ curves in treated vs. control mice) in each age group post-exposure. Measuring the Mfs in spleen at multiple time points after cessation of exposure and integrating the frequency of mutants as a function of time appeared to be the superior method for comparing mutagenic responses in different age groups. Some of the underlying assumptions of this approach, as well as its strengths and weaknesses, are discussed.     

Transfer of Protection to Murine Typhoid Conferred by L-Form Salmonella typhimurium in Dependence of Cooperation between L Form-Adopted Macrophages and L Form-Induced Lyt-2+ T Cells

The effector cells responsible for protection to Salmonella typhimurium in C3H/HeJ mice, conferred by L-form S. typhimurium, were determined by cell transfer test. Nonfractionated spleen cells from 6-week immune mice but not from 24-week immune animals transferred anti-S. typhimurium immunity. Treatment with anti-macrophage antiserum and complement most effectively abolished protective capacity in 6-week immune cells, while anti-T cell monoclonal antibody plus complement reduced it to a lesser extent. However, adoptive protection was achieved only by transfer of immune macrophages along with Lyt-2⁺ T cells selected from 6-week immune spleen cells. These Lyt-2⁺ T cells were cytotoxic to Kupffer cells from C3H/HeJ mice which had been infected 48 hr previously and from the mice which had been immunized 1 week previously, but not to the cells from 6-week immune mice and from normal animals. Moreover, protective capacity in immune macrophages seemed to be correlated to the degree of colonization by the L forms, and the inability to transfer immunity of 24-week immune spleen cells may be due to the decrease in the L form-colonization. These results suggest that cooperation between the L form-colonized macrophages and L form-induced cytotoxic Lyt-2⁺ T cells contributes to anti-S. typhimurium immunity, and might imply the immunological difference between the 6-week immune phagocytes and the cells at an early stage of infection or immunization.     

Lymphatic tracing and T cell responses following oral vaccination with live Mycobacterium bovis (BCG)

Oral vaccination of mice with lipid-encapsulated Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) expands a subset of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)-secreting T cells and mediates protection against aerosol mycobacterial challenge. We have traced the movement of the live vaccine through the regional lymphatics of mice and monitored the resultant immune response. Six hours after oral vaccination BCG was detected in low numbers systemically and in draining lymphatic tissue. However, after 48 h, BCG was predominantly associated with alimentary tract lymphatic tissues, such as the cervical and mesenteric lymph nodes and Peyer's patches. Lymphocytes that produced IFN-gamma in response to PPD-B or BCG-pulsed dendritic cells predominated in the spleen and were almost exclusively CD4(+), CD44(+) and CD62L(-), thus resembling an effector memory T cell population. Despite the fact that an oral route was used for immunization, splenic IFN-gamma-secreting T cells in vaccinated mice did not express the mucosal homing antigens alpha(4)beta(7) integrin or alphaIEL (CD103). However, a proportion of BCG-specific CD4(+) T cells expressed the CD29 integrin (beta(1)) chain, potentially involved in lung homing function. Thus, oral priming with M. bovis BCG appears to induce a subset of spleen-resident CD4(+) T cells with the potential to provide protective immunity in the lung.     

Mechanisms of mucosal and parenteral tuberculosis vaccinations: adenoviral-based mucosal immunization preferentially elicits sustained accumulation of immune protective CD4 and CD8 T cells within the airway lumen

The mechanisms underlying better immune protection by mucosal vaccination have remained poorly understood. In our current study we have investigated the mechanisms by which respiratory virus-mediated mucosal vaccination provides remarkably better immune protection against pulmonary tuberculosis than parenteral vaccination. A recombinant adenovirus-based tuberculosis (TB) vaccine expressing Mycobacterium tuberculosis Ag85A (AdAg85A) was administered either intranasally (i.n.) or i.m. to mice, and Ag-specific CD4 and CD8 T cell responses, including frequency, IFN-gamma production, and CTL, were examined in the spleen, lung interstitium, and airway lumen. Although i.m. immunization with AdAg85A led to activation of T cells, particularly CD8 T cells, in the spleen and, to a lesser extent, in the lung interstitium, it failed to elicit any T cell response in the airway lumen. In contrast, although i.n. immunization failed to effectively activate T cells in the spleen, it uniquely elicited higher numbers of Ag-specific CD4 and CD8 T cells in the airway lumen that were capable of IFN-gamma production and cytolytic activities, as assessed by an intratracheal in vivo CTL assay. These airway luminal T cells of i.n. immunized mice or splenic T cells of i.m. immunized mice, upon transfer locally to the lungs of naive SCID mice, conferred immune protection against M. tuberculosis challenge. Our study has demonstrated that the airway luminal T cell population plays an important role in immune protection against pulmonary TB, thus providing mechanistic insights into the superior immune protection conferred by respiratory mucosal TB vaccination.     

A Higher Activation Threshold of Memory CD8+ T Cells Has a Fitness Cost That Is Modified by TCR Affinity during Tuberculosis

T cell vaccines against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and other pathogens are based on the principle that memory T cells rapidly generate effector responses upon challenge, leading to pathogen clearance. Despite eliciting a robust memory CD8⁺ T cell response to the immunodominant Mtb antigen TB10.4 (EsxH), we find the increased frequency of TB10.4-specific CD8⁺ T cells conferred by vaccination to be short-lived after Mtb challenge. To compare memory and naïve CD8⁺ T cell function during their response to Mtb, we track their expansions using TB10.4-specific retrogenic CD8⁺ T cells. We find that the primary (naïve) response outnumbers the secondary (memory) response during Mtb challenge, an effect moderated by increased TCR affinity. To determine whether the expansion of polyclonal memory T cells is restrained following Mtb challenge, we used TCRβ deep sequencing to track TB10.4-specific CD8⁺ T cells after vaccination and subsequent challenge in intact mice. Successful memory T cells, defined by their clonal expansion after Mtb challenge, express similar CDR3β sequences suggesting TCR selection by antigen. Thus, both TCR-dependent and -independent factors affect the fitness of memory CD8⁺ responses. The impaired expansion of the majority of memory T cell clonotypes may explain why some TB vaccines have not provided better protection.     

Lack of ICAM-1 on APCs during T cell priming leads to poor generation of central memory cells

ICAM-1/LFA-1 interactions are known to enhance T cell/APC interactions and to promote T cell activation and cytokine secretion. We have analyzed the consequences of ICAM-1-mediated signaling on the generation of memory T cell subsets. We report that lack of ICAM-1 on APCs, but not on T cells, leads to poor T cell activation and proliferation in vitro and in vivo, and that the defect can be compensated by Ag dose, exogenous IL-2, additional costimulation, and by increasing responder T cell density on APCs. ICAM-1-null mice do not respond to immunization with OVA peptide, but immunization with OVA or with Salmonella typhimurium leads to good T cell proliferation 7-10 days later, and clearance of a challenge infection is equivalent to that of wild-type mice. However, when followed over time, recall proliferation and antibacterial immunity decay rapidly in ICAM-1-null mice, while recall cytokine responses are unaffected. The decline in immunity is not related to poor survival of T cells activated on ICAM-1-null APCs, or to poor generation of effectors in ICAM-1-null mice. Phenotypic analysis of T cells stimulated on ICAM-1-null APCs reveals preferential generation of CD44(high) CD62L(low) effector memory cells (T(EM)) over CD44(high) CD62L(high) central memory cells (T(CM)). Further, while the proportion of naive:memory T cells is similar in unmanipulated wild-type and ICAM-1-null mice, there is an accumulation of T(EM) cells, and a high T(EM):T(CM) ratio in aging ICAM-1-null mice. Together, the data indicate that signaling through LFA-1 during T cell activation may be involved in commitment to a proliferation-competent memory pool.     

Dual regulation of resistance against Toxoplasma gondii infection by Lyt-2+ and Lyt-1+, L3T4+ T cells in mice

Studies were performed to attempt to define the T cell subset responsible for resistance to Toxoplasma gondii. A temperature-sensitive mutant (ts-4) strain of T. gondii was used for immunization because it causes infection but does not persist in the host. Immunization with this strain induced marked resistance against lethal challenge infection with virulent strains of T. gondii in mice. The resistance could be transferred to normal recipient mice by i.v. injection of spleen cells from ts-4-immunized mice. Marked inhibition of cyst formation in the recipient mice was also noted. The protective activity of immune spleen cells was removed by pretreatment of the spleen cells with anti-Thy-1.2 and C, indicating that T cells are responsible for the observed protection. Pretreatment of immune spleen cells with anti-Lyt-2.2 and C completely ablated their protective effect; pretreatment with anti-Lyt-1.2 or anti-L3T4 and C had lesser effects on their ability to transfer resistance. The effect of anti-Lyt-1.2 was the same as that obtained with anti-L3T4. This suggested that one T cell subset that is partially responsible for protection has both Lyt-1.2 and L3T4 markers on the cell surface. These results indicate that there are substantial roles for both the Lyt-2+ and Lyt-1+, L3T4 T cell subsets in dual regulation of resistance against toxoplasma infection and that Lyt-2+ T cells are the principal mediator of the resistance.