CD4+ Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte Activity against Macrophages Pulsed with Bovine Herpesvirus 1 Polypeptides |
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| Authors: | Chong Wang and Gary A. Splitter |
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| Affiliation: | Department of Animal Health and Biomedical Science, University of Wisconsin—Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 |
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| Abstract: | Bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1) induces immune suppression, but the mechanisms for suppression are not well identified. We examined the induction and activity of BHV-1-specific cytolytic CD4+ T lymphocytes (CTL) by stimulating peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of cattle immunized with attenuated live BHV-1. Cytolytic effector cells were primarily CD4+ T lymphocytes and lysed autologous, but not allogeneic, macrophages infected with BHV-1 or pulsed with BHV-1 polypeptides. Apoptosis of BHV-1-expressing target cells was observed in CD4+ CTL assays by terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) analysis. To determine if apoptosis was mediated by a perforin- or Fas-mediated pathway, EGTA, a known selective inhibitor of the perforin pathway, was used. EGTA did not inhibit CD4+-T-cell-mediated cytotoxic activity, but it did limit the NK cell cytotoxicity of virus infected cells. These findings support the concept that CD4+ CTL lyse macrophages pulsed with BHV-1 polypeptides through a Fas-mediated lytic pathway by inducing apoptosis in the target cells. The prominent cytotoxicity mediated by CD4+ CTL suggests a mechanism of selective removal of viral antigen-associated antigen-presenting cells. |
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