In vitro T cell-mediated killing of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. V. Generation of bactericidal T cells in nonresponder mice

We have previously reported that BALB/c mice immunized with 10 micrograms of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa polysaccharide antigen (PS) and 100 micrograms vinblastine sulfate develop T cell-mediated protective immunity, but fail to generate an antibody response. Vinblastine functions in this system to remove a suppressor cell that normally inhibits expression of this form of immunity after PS immunization. T cells from CB.20 mice immunized with the 10 micrograms of PS and 100 micrograms vinblastine fail to kill P. aeruginosa in vitro. These mice are allotype congenic with BALB/c mice, differing at loci closely linked to the IgH-1 locus. Immunization of CB.20 mice with 10 micrograms PS and 100 micrograms vinblastine results in the appearance of T cells which suppress in vitro bactericidal activity of BALB/c T cells. In the current study we found that T cell-mediated bactericidal activity can be generated in CB.20 mice by increasing the dose of vinblastine given at the time of PS immunization. The phenotype of the CB.20 bactericidal T cell generated by high dose vinblastine is identical to that of the BALB/c bactericidal T cell, and the CB.20 bactericidal T cell can adoptively transfer protective immunity to granulocytopenic mice. After immunization of BALB/c and CB.20 mice with PS alone, approximately one log fewer CB.20 T cells than BALB/c T cells are required to suppress bacterial killing in vitro. Furthermore, the number of CB.20 T cells required to suppress in vitro bacterial killing is directly correlated with the dose of vinblastine administered at the time of immunization. Increasing the immunizing dose of PS overcomes suppressor activity and allows the generation of bactericidal T cells in BALB/c mice without a requirement for vinblastine. CB.20 mice fail to generate bactericidal T cells after immunization with high doses of PS. These results indicate that CB.20 and BALB/c mice both possess the full repertoire of T cells required to express bactericidal T cell activity and that the differences in their responses reflect only quantitative differences in suppressor cell activity.     

In vitro T cell-mediated killing of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. IV. Nonresponsiveness in polysaccharide-immunized BALB/c mice is attributable to vinblastine-sensitive suppressor T cells

We reported previously that BALB/c mice immunized with a polysaccharide (PS) antigen isolated from immunotype 1 Pseudomonas aeruginosa and vinblastine sulfate develop T cell-mediated protective immunity, despite their failure to produce specific antibody. In vitro, Lyt-1-,2+, I-J+ T cells from vinblastine- and PS-immunized mice kill P. aeruginosa by secretion of a bactericidal lymphokine. BALB/c mice immunized with PS alone generate neither protective antibodies nor a protective T cell response. The current studies indicate that T cells from mice immunized with PS alone significantly suppress the bactericidal activity of T cells from mice immunized with vinblastine and PS. The suppressor T cells are of the same Lyt-1-,2+, I-J+ phenotype as the bactericidal T cells. Suppression is mediated by a soluble product of these suppressor T cells which both inhibits T cell proliferation and interferes with the production or release of the bactericidal lymphokine. Cyclophosphamide, used in other systems to remove suppressor T cells, fails to enhance bacterial killing and does not inhibit suppressor cell activity. These studies indicate that immunization with PS elicits responses in two functionally distinct subgroups of Lyt-1-,2+, I-J+ T cells, and that these cells are distinguishable by their sensitivity to vinblastine sulfate.     

In vitro T cell-mediated killing of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. II. The role of macrophages and T cell subsets in T cell killing

T lymphocytes from immune mice can adoptively transfer protection against infection with the extra-cellular Gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa to nonimmune recipients, and in vitro, immune T cells are able to kill these bacteria. Earlier studies indicated that this killing is mediated by a bactericidal lymphokine. Those studies also showed that macrophages enhance this in vitro T cell killing but do not directly participate in the bacterial killing, nor do macrophages function to present antigen to T cells. The current studies demonstrate that the ability of macrophages to enhance T cell killing can be replaced by macrophage culture supernatants or by purified recombinant interleukin 1 (IL 1). In addition, the macrophage supernatant-induced enhancement can also be blocked by antibody to purified IL 1. These studies also demonstrate that the T cell subset that serves as the final effector cell in the killing process is the Lyt-1-, 2,3+, I-J+ phenotype.     

In vitro T cell-mediated killing of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. I. Evidence that a lymphokine mediates killing

Previous studies have demonstrated in vivo that T cells can provide protective immunity, in the absence of antibody, against infection with the extracellular Gram-negative bacterium Immunotype 1 (IT-1) Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We established an in vitro system in which immune T cells, after reexposure to bacterial antigens and to macrophages, secrete a product that kills the bacteria. Although macrophages are required for in vitro killing, they function neither as antigen-presenting nor as phagocytic cells in this system. T cells from animals immunized against a different P. aeruginosa immunotype will not kill IT-1 organisms; but the supernatants produced by IT-1 immune T cells after exposure to macrophages and IT-1 P. aeruginosa organisms are nonspecifically effective in killing unrelated bacteria. Because the supernatants from immune T cells lose their bactericidal properties upon minimal dilution, we conclude that if this mechanism is active in vivo, it must play a role in local immunity.     

Genetics of insulin-specific helper and suppressor T cells in nonresponder mice

The role of insulin-specific helper and suppressor T cells in the H-2-linked genetic control of antibody responses to heterologous insulins was examined in vitro. These data demonstrate that pork insulin stimulates both primed helper T cells and dominant suppressor T cells in all nonresponder strains tested. Thus, the nonresponder phenotype is attributed to the activation of specific suppressor T cells rather than to an absence of helper T cell activity. Examination of the antigenic cross-reactivity patterns of pork insulin-primed helper and suppressor T cells in various strains demonstrates that fine specificity of the helper T cells differs from that of the suppressor T cells and that the patterns of antigenic cross-reactivity of these subpopulations are controlled by the H-2 gene complex. Furthermore, in a given strain of mice variants of insulin that stimulate helper T cells that cross-react with mouse insulin also stimulate dominant suppressor T cells that cross-react with mouse insulin. Such variants of insulin are perceived as nonimmunogenic. These observations raise the possibility that nonresponsiveness that is controlled by H-2 linked genes results from the activation of regulatory mechanisms involved in maintaining self-tolerance.     

In vitro activities of tachyplesin III against Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The in vitro activities of tachyplesin III were investigated against 20 multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates. Methods included minimal inhibitory concentrations, minimal bactericidal concentrations, time-kill studies, checkerboard titration method, endotoxin-binding activity and cytotoxicity assay. Overall the organisms were susceptible to the peptide at concentrations of 0.50-4 mg/l. Tachyplesin III completely inhibits the endotoxin procoagulant activity at 22.36 mg/l concentration. Fractional inhibitory concentration indexes demonstrated synergy between the peptide and betalactams or colistin. In conclusion, the intrinsic antibacterial and antiendotoxin activities and the synergistic interactions demonstrated with clinically used antibiotics make tachyplesin III valuable as potential candidate for new therapeutic strategies aimed to treat P. aeruginosa infection.     

In vitro generation of suppressor T cells. Induction of CD3+, IgH-restricted suppressor cells

Previous studies of the immune response of C57BL/6 mice to the 4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl acetyl (NP) hapten determined that challenge with antigenic forms of hapten induces both immunity and suppression. The anti-NP plaque-forming cell response can be down regulated by an Ag-induced cascade consisting of three suppressor T cell subsets. These three populations, termed Ts1, Ts2, and Ts3 have been characterized to have inducer, transducer and effector functions, respectively. Although the functions of each of these subsets have been examined in vivo, the cellular requirements for in vitro Ts induction have only been investigated for the Ts3 population. The present study characterizes the cellular events that lead to the induction of the Ts2, suppressor transducer population. Culture of naive C57BL/6 spleen cells with Ts1-derived suppressor factor in the absence of exogenous Ag leads to the generation of Ts2 cells that mediate Ag-specific suppression of NP plaque-forming cell responses. Phenotypic analyses demonstrate that a CD3+, CD4-, CD5+, CD8+, and I-J+ precursor population is stimulated by TsF1 to become mature Ts2 cells that express CD3, CD8, and I-J but not CD5. Although previous studies have reported an essential role for B cells in the induction of other Ts populations, depletion of B cells from Ts2 induction cultures had no effect on Ts2 generation. Despite the absence of B cells in these cultures, the mature Ts2 cells were functionally IgH restricted. Studies with IgH congenic B.C-8 mice suggest that this restriction specificity was imposed by the idiotype-related determinants expressed on the TsF1, not the T cell genotype.     

Persistent activity of suppressor cells in T cell-mediated immune response.

Tolerance to dinitrochlorobenzene contact sensitivity induced i.v. injection of dinitrobenzenesulfonic acid in guinea pigs is a long-lasting phenomenon (up to 1 year). The tolerogen, however, was traceable in the circulation only up to 3 months after its application. In spite of that, tolerance was adoptively transferred by parabiosis 6 months after being induced. Moreover, active suppressor cells eliminated by cyclophosphamide treatment are able to regenerate in those adoptively tolerized animals. These results indicate that the tolerogenic injection stimulates precursors of suppressor cells to generate active suppressor cells and memory cells of suppression. The further formation of active suppressor cells from memory cells seems to be tolerogen independent, but the existence of specific stimulator cells for suppression may be considered. These cells may bind undetectable small amounts of tolerogen. The recovery of suppression might, however, be also due to recovery of suppressor cells which were temporarily inactivated but not destroyed by cyclophosphamide treatment.     

The role of cytophilic IgG3 antibody in T cell-mediated resistance to infection with the extracellular bacterium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Previous studies have demonstrated that T lymphocytes from mice immunized with a high m.w. polysaccharide Ag from Fisher-Devlin immunotype I Pseudomonas aeruginosa can adoptively transfer protection against challenge with the homologous bacterial strain to susceptible mice. This T cell-mediated resistance has been found to be B cell dependent, although serum from immunized mice is incapable of passively transferring protection to nonimmune mice. The current studies demonstrate that T cells from immunized mice possess receptors that permit them to be adsorbed to IgG3-secreting hybridomas, but not to IgM-secreting hybridomas. Cross-linking of antibody on the surface of immune T cells results in release of a soluble factor that inhibits bacterial growth. Treatment of T cells to remove cytophilic antibody eliminates their ability to adoptively transfer protection to nonimmune mice, and the protective ability can be restored by co-incubating the T cells with monoclonal P. aeruginosa-specific IgG3 antibody before adoptive transfer to nonimmune mice. These observations are consistent with a model in which T lymphocytes from immunized mice are activated by cross-linking of FcR for IgG3 to secrete an antibacterial lymphokine. The ability of IgG3 at low antibody concentrations to act synergistically with T lymphocytes to inhibit bacterial growth could explain the evolutionary selection of this antibody isotype as the predominant subclass of IgG secreted in response to bacterial capsular polysaccharide Ag.     

Chelator-induced dispersal and killing of Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells in a biofilm

Biofilms consist of groups of bacteria attached to surfaces and encased in a hydrated polymeric matrix. Bacteria in biofilms are more resistant to the immune system and to antibiotics than their free-living planktonic counterparts. Thus, biofilm-related infections are persistent and often show recurrent symptoms. The metal chelator EDTA is known to have activity against biofilms of gram-positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus. EDTA can also kill planktonic cells of Proteobacteria like Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In this study we demonstrate that EDTA is a potent P. aeruginosa biofilm disrupter. In Tris buffer, EDTA treatment of P. aeruginosa biofilms results in 1,000-fold greater killing than treatment with the P. aeruginosa antibiotic gentamicin. Furthermore, a combination of EDTA and gentamicin results in complete killing of biofilm cells. P. aeruginosa biofilms can form structured mushroom-like entities when grown under flow on a glass surface. Time lapse confocal scanning laser microscopy shows that EDTA causes a dispersal of P. aeruginosa cells from biofilms and killing of biofilm cells within the mushroom-like structures. An examination of the influence of several divalent cations on the antibiofilm activity of EDTA indicates that magnesium, calcium, and iron protect P. aeruginosa biofilms against EDTA treatment. Our results are consistent with a mechanism whereby EDTA causes detachment and killing of biofilm cells.     

Induction of allospecific suppressor T cells in vitro.

Incubation of mouse thymic lymphocytes with irradiated allogeneic spleen cells gave rise to suppressor cells. The suppressor activity was assayed by adding the incubated cell mixture to a mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) in which the responder cells were syngeneic with the sensitized thymocytes and the stimulator cells were syngeneic with the sensitizing spleen cells. Such addition suppressed significantly thymidine incorporation in the mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). The suppressor cells were found to carry the θ antigen and to function allospecifically, as shown by cross-testing in three allogeneic combinations. Our data suggest that these cells may originate from immature cortisone-sensitive thymic lymphocytes and also provide some preliminary information concerning their mode of action.     

Induction of specific suppressor T cells in vitro.

We describe conditions for generating sheep red blood cell-specific suppressor T cells in Mishell-Dutton cultures. The production of specific suppressor cells is favored by increasing antigen dose in the initial culture but can be produced by transferring more cells when lower doses of antigen are used. Transfer of small numbers of cells cultured with low doses of antigen leads to a specific helper effect. Transfer of large numbers of educated cells leads to nonspecific suppression. Suppression can be effected by the effluent cells from nylon wool columns which do not make detectable PFC. A fraction of these cells become resistant to treatment with anti-T cell sera and complement after culture. The suppressor cells are radiation sensitive and must be able to synthesize protein to suppress. They take 2 to 3 days of education to reach maximum suppressive efficiency and will not suppress cultures if added 2 to 3 days after culture initiation. Their production is favored by the absence of mercaptoethanol, suggesting that the observed suppression is not "too much help". The ability to generate specific suppressor cells in vitro should be of great benefit in determining the factors that regulate their appearance in vivo.     

The in vitro killing of syngeneic cells by peritoneal cells from adjuvant-stimulated mice.

The cytotoxicity of peritoneal exudate cells from mice which had been injected with anaerobic coryneform organisms which have adjuvant activity was assessed by measuring the release of radioactive chromium from monolayers of whole mouse embryo cells. It was found that the peritoneal cells from adjuvant-stimulated mice were more cytotoxic than cells from normal mice. The increased cytotoxicity was present as early as 2 days after injection of the organisms, and was abolished by trypsin treatment of the peritoneal cells. The cytotoxic effect requires the presence of live peritoneal cells, and is more marked as the ratio of effector to target cells is increased. The plastic adherent cells of the peritoneal cell population are more effective in the cytotoxic reaction than are the non-adherent cells. The stimulated peritoneal cells can kill both syngeneic and allogeneic mouse embryo cells. Consideration is given to the possible mechanisms by which the increased cytotoxicity might be induced.     

Suppressor T cells regulating the cell-mediated immune response to Pseudomonas aeruginosa can be generated by immunization with anti-bacterial T cells

We previously demonstrated that immunization with low (10 micrograms) doses of high m.w. polysaccharide from the gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa generates T cells that suppress the ability of antibacterial T cells (Tab) to protect against bacterial infection. The current studies indicate that Ts cells with properties identical to those elicited by low dose polysaccharide immunization can be generated by immunization with Tab. Tab-elicited Ts cells can abrogate in vivo induction and in vitro and in vivo expression of antibacterial T cell activity. Tab-elicited Ts are Ag-specific and H-2 restricted in their suppressor activity. Non-immune T cells fail to elicit suppressor activity. These studies provide additional evidence that the protective T cell response to P. aeruginosa is controlled by a network of T cells that are probably recognizing idiotypic determinants on P. aeruginosa-immune T and B cells.     

T cells from nonresponder mice. MHC restricted and unrestricted recognition of insulin

Two types of insulin-reactive T cell hybridomas expressing TCR-alpha beta were derived from nonresponder H-2b mice immunized with pork insulin. One type had characteristics of conventional class II-restricted Th cells. These CD4+ CD8- I-Ab-restricted T cells recognized a self determinant, present within the insulin B-chain. This determinant was distinct from the immunodominant A-chain loop determinant that is recognized by the majority of T cells induced after immunization with normally immunogenic beef insulin. Our results suggest that this determinant is readily generated during immunologic processing of insulins, including nonimmunogenic pork insulin and self insulin. A second type of T cell lacking CD4 and CD8 recognized a distinct B-chain determinant of insulin in a class II-dependent, but MHC unrestricted, fashion. These cells may represent a novel subpopulation which has bypassed conventional selection during development in the thymus.     

In vitro generation of suppressor cell activity: suppression of in vitro induction if cell-mediated cytotoxicity.

It was observed that when normal mouse spleen cells were cultured alone in vitro (precultured) for 3 to 7 days, these cells lost the ability to generate cell-mediated cytotoxicity (CML) during subsequent in vitro sensitization with allogeneic spleen cells, trinitrophenyl (TNP)-modified syngeneic spleen cells, or syngeneic tumor cells. These precultured cells, which were themselves unable to generate CML, were also shown in mixing experiments to suppress, actively, the generation of CML by freshly explanted spleen cells. Suppression occurred at the sensitization phase of CML, and not at the effector level; supernatants from suppressive precultured cells were not suppressive. Suppression was totally abrogated by the treatment of spleen cells with a T cell-specific rabbit anti-mouse brain serum and complement (RalphaMB+C) either before or after preculturing, suggesting that a T cell eas essential both to the generation of suppressor activity and to its expression. Suppressor activity was entirely absent in precultured nylon wool column-nonadherent spleen cells, a T cell-enriched population containing most of the RalphaMB+C-sensitive cells in the spleen. Precultured nylon column-adherent cells (T cell-depleted) did have suppressive activity, and a mixture of nylon-adherent and nylon-non-adherent cells was a suppressive after preculture as the precultured unseparated spleen. Moreover, the ability of nylon-adherent spleen cells to generate suppressive activity during preculturing was abrogated by treatment with RalphaMB+C. Thus, the "spontaneous" generation of CML-suppressive activity was dependent upon a limited subpopulation of splenic T cells isolated in the nylon column-adherent fraction. The relationship of these data to a previously described synergy between subpopulations of normal spleen in the generation of CML is discussed, and the findings related to other suppressor systems described in the literature.     

Suppressor cell induction in vitro. VI. Production of suppressor factors to synthetic polypeptides GAT and (T,G)-A--L from cells of responder and nonresponder mice.

The capacity of responder and nonresponder strains of mice to generate suppressor cells and factors to two antigens under MHC linked Ir gene control was investigated. Eight different H-2 types (H-2b,d,f,k,p,q,r,s) as well as seven independently derived strains (B10, BALB/c, CBA/Ca, A/St, DBA/2, P/J, SJL) were tested, and all yielded suppressor factor (SF) to (T,G)-A--L and GAT. This indicated that the genetic control of SF production was different from that of helper cell induction. Unlike previous reports of GAT suppressor extracts that GAT-specific supressor factors acted equally on both responder and nonresponder strains. As reported earlier with in vitro induced protein- (KLH) specific suppressor factors, GAT and (T,G)-A--L specific suppressor factors failed to show any genetic restriction in their function. The implications of these results for the general mechanism of Ir gene control are discussed.     

In vitro sensitization of human lymphocytes against histiocytic lymphoma cell lines. III. The activity of culture-induced suppressor cells.

Normal PBL were sensitized in vitro against an allogeneic diffuse histiocytic lymphoma cell line and their activity was measured by radiolabel release from target cells. We have reported earlier that a non-T cell population, found among the PBL, was responsible for inhibiting in vitro sensitization. In the present work we found that culturing PBL in vitro caused the induction of radioresistant suppressor cells which affected the sensitization phase of the in vitro response. The culture-induced suppressor cells had macrophage-like characteristics. The activity of the suppressor cells depended on an additional helper population that was adherent to nylon wool, but did not adhere to plastic and was non-phagocytic. The cooperation of these two different cell populations was required for the expression of suppressive activity.     

In vivo generation of suppressor T cells by thymosin in congenitally athymic nude mice

Treatment of nude mice with thymic factors such as thymosin has been mostly ineffective in generating effector T cells. This study examined the effects of treating nude mice with thymosin fraction 5 on the induction of cells that could participate in and/or regulate cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) generation by normal spleen cells in vitro. Splenic lymphocytes from BALB/c nude mice injected with thymosin fraction 5 every other day for 2 wk were tested for their ability to generate CTL in vitro. Two days after the last subcutaneous injection of thymosin, nude spleens were removed, mixed with normal BALB/c spleen cells, and placed into a mixed lymphocyte tumor culture (MLTC) against allogeneic RBL 5 tumor cells. After a 5-day incubation, cultures were tested for the presence of CTL in a 4-hr 51Cr-release assay. Spleen cells from thymosin-treated nude mice did not generate CTL but suppressed the ability of normal spleen cells to generate CTL in vitro. Characterization of the thymosin-induced nude mouse suppressor cells showed them to be Thy 1 positive, nonadherent, cyclophosphamide-sensitive T cells. These data demonstrate that some T cell maturation occurs in vivo under thymosin influence. However, the activity of these cells is initially limited to a regulatory function. These studies suggest that maturation of functional suppressor T cells occurs before CTL. Further immunologic manipulation appears to be necessary in order to induce CTL effector cells in nude mice.     

Antigen-specific T cell-mediated suppression. II. In vitro induction by I-J-coded L-glutamic acid50-L-tyrosine50 (GT)-specific T cell suppressor factor (GT-T8F) of suppressor T cells (T82) bearing distinct I-J determinants.

The induction of new suppressor T cells (Ts2) by suppressive extracts (TsF) from L-glutamic acid50L-tyrosine50 (GT) nonresponder mice was examined. Incubation of normal spleen cells with allogeneic GT-TsF for 2 days in vitro led to the generation of Ts2 cells able to suppress subsequent responses to the immunogen GT-methylated bovine serum albumin (GT-MBSA) in vivo. This induction occurred efficiently when TsF donor and target cells differed at all of H-2, including the I-J subregion. B10.BR (H-2k) GT-TsF, adsorbed on, then acid eluted from GT-Sepharose and anti-I-Jk [B10.A (3R) anti-B10.A (5R)]-Sepharose in a sequential fashion could induce BALB/c (H-2d) spleen cells to become Ts2 only if nanogram quantities of GT were added to the purified GT-TsF. This indicates a requirement for a molecule or molecular complex possessing both I-J determinants and antigen (GT)-binding specificity, together with GT itself, for Ts2 induction. The induced Ts2 are I-J+, since their function can be eliminated by treatment with anti-I-Jk plus C. These I-J determinants are coded for by the precursor of the Ts2 and do not represent passively adsorbed, I-J coded TsF, since anti-Ijk antiserum [(3R X DBA/2)F1 anti-5R] which cannot recognize the BALB/c (I-Jd) TsF used for induction still eliminates the activity of induced A/J (I-Jk) Ts2. These data provide further evidence for and information about the minimum of two T cells involved in antigen-specific suppressor T cell systems.