Specific Lymphoproliferative Responses Research Articles

The role of glycoproteins gC, gE, gI and gG in the induction of cell-mediated immune responses to bovine herpesvirus 1

Mutant viruses with deletions in genes encoding non-essential glycoproteins are considered as promising bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV1) vaccine candidates. The present study compared the influence of various gene deletions (gC, gE, gI, gG) on the induction of cell-mediated immune responses against the virus. The highest BHV1 specific lymphoproliferative response was observed in the group of calves inoculated with the gC − mutant. However, in all groups of inoculated calves, limiting dilution analysis showed marked individual variability in the number of BHV1 specific T lymphocytes that were stimulated. The same animals were then challenged with wild-type BHV1. In these animals, limiting dilution analysis did not reveal gE, gI nor gG as a major T lymphocyte antigen. However, further analysis suggested the T cell antigenicity of gE in a low number of BHV1 hyperimmunized calves. Stimulation of MHC unrestricted cytotoxicity was also evaluated after inoculation with the various deletion mutants. Cytotoxicity in gC − inoculated calves was as high as in BHV1 inoculated calves. In conclusion, among the BHV1 deletion mutants that were tested, the gC − mutant stimulated the best cell-mediated immune responses.

Cell-mediated and humoral immunity in sheep exposed to bovine immunodeficiency-like virus

Six sheep were transfused intraperitoneally with whole blood from two sheep chronically infected with the bovine immunodeficiency-like virus (BIV). Five sheep were transfused intraperitoneally (i.p.) with normal ovine whole blood and served as controls. Five of six BIV-inoculated sheep seroconverted; four were transiently seropositive while one remained seropositive for the duration of the experiment. Tests for nonspecific lymphocyte reactivity to mitogens were performed monthly for one year. At approximately 10 months postinoculation, all sheep were immunized with chicken ovalbumin, canine red blood cells, and tuberculin. There were no significant associations between BIV exposure and deficits in antibody production to chicken ovalbumin and canine red blood cells; nonspecific lymphoproliferative responses to concanavalin-A, lipopolysaccharide, and pokeweed mitogen; specific lymphoproliferative responses to ovalbumin and tuberculin purified protein derivative; or cutaneous delayed type hypersensitivity to tuberculin purified protein derivative. Exposure to BIV did not alter the humoral or cell mediated immune responses of sheep in the first year of exposure.

Immunodominant T-cell epitopes of rubella virus structural proteins defined by synthetic peptides

Sets of overlapping synthetic peptides containing predicted T-cell epitope motifs were designed from the murine monoclonal antibody-defined map of linear B-cell epitope domains within each of the structural proteins of rubella virus (RV). The peptides represented well-defined subsequences of two capsid domains (C1 to C29 and C64 to C97), of a domain of glycoprotein E1 containing neutralizing determinants (E1(202) to E1(283), and of a domain of glycoprotein E2 (E2(31) to E2(105). With the exception of peptides representing C64 to C97, each set of peptides stimulated varied but individually specific lymphoproliferative responses in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 25 to 50% of a representatively large number of normal, RV-immune human donors with diverse human leukocyte antigen (HLA) backgrounds. Responses were mediated by CD4+ T cells in association with HLA class II antigens, though lymphoproliferative responses to a given peptide were usually not HLA-DR allele specific. Correlation analysis of responses to overlapping peptides suggests that there is an immunodominant T-proliferative epitope within C14 to C29 recognized by approximately 50% of the donor population. However, limiting-dilution analysis indicated much variability between individuals in lymphocyte recognition of this T-cell determinant, even within similar HLA-DR contexts. Thus, the fine specificity of relatively immunodominant T-cell epitopes may vary from individual to individual. Synthetic peptides with predicted T-cell motifs have proved to be useful probes of the molecular determinants of cellular immunity to RV and should expand the rational basis for the design of synthetic RV vaccines.

Studies on transfer of varicella-zoster-virus specific T-cell immunity from bone marrow donor to recipient

The transfer of antigen-specific cellular immunity in human bone marrow transplantation (BMT) was studied in 49 donor-recipient pairs, using a varicella-zoster-virus (VZV) specific lymphoproliferative response (LPR) assay. Posttransplant VZV-LPR could be serially measured in 31 long-term surviving recipients. VZV-specific T-cell immunity was detected in the early posttransplant period in 4 of 16 recipients who were, and whose donors were, immune to VZV before BMT, but two of those positive responses diminished in the first 100 days posttransplant. No positive response was detected in the immediate posttransplant period when either only the recipient or the donor was immune to VZV pretransplant. Herpes zoster or chickenpox developed in the recipients depending on a history of pretransplant VZV infection when the VZV-LPR became negative, and recovery from VZV infection was always followed by quick conversion of VZV-LPR. Long-lasting positive VZV-LPR was observed in the two recipients who experienced VZV infection in the immediate pretransplant period and received marrow graft from an immune donor. Our results indicate that a simple or direct transfer of VZV-specific cellular immunity from a marrow donor to a recipient cannot be expected in usual clinical bone marrow transplantation and that there might be a collaboration or recruitment of immune responses involving both donor and recipient that permits the VZV-LPR to remain positive posttransplant.

Studies on Transfer of Varicella-Zoster-Virus Specific T-Cell Immunity From Bone Marrow Donor to Recipient

Abstract The transfer of antigen-specific cellular immunity in human bone marrow transplantation (BMT) was studied in 49 donor-recipient pairs, using a varicella-zoster-virus (VZV) specific lymphoproliferative response (LPR) assay. Posttransplant VZV-LPR could be serially measured in 31 long-term surviving recipients. VZV-specific T-cell immunity was detected in the early posttransplant period in 4 of 16 recipients who were, and whose donors were, immune to VZV before BMT, but two of those positive responses diminished in the first 100 days posttransplant. No positive response was detected in the immediate posttransplant period when either only the recipient or the donor was immune to VZV pretransplant. Herpes zoster or chickenpox developed in the recipients depending on a history of pretransplant VZV infection when the VZV-LPR became negative, and recovery from VZV infection was always followed by quick conversion of VZV-LPR. Long-lasting positive VZV-LPR was observed in the two recipients who experienced VZV infection in the immediate pretransplant period and received marrow graft from an immune donor. Our results indicate that a simple or direct transfer of VZV-specific cellular immunity from a marrow donor to a recipient cannot be expected in usual clinical bone marrow transplantation and that there might be a collaboration or recruitment of immune responses involving both donor and recipient that permits the VZV-LPR to remain positive posttransplant.

BK virus specific humoral and cell mediated immunity in allogeneic bone marrow transplant (BMT) recipients.

BKV specific humoral and cell mediated immunity was examined weekly in 19 allogeneic BMT recipients and correlated with the occurrence of BKV shedding. Responses to staphylococcal antigen (SPL) and tetanus toxoid (TET) were measured as specificity controls. Responses and virus shedding were assayed weekly for up to 15 weeks after BMT. Fourteen of 19 patients enrolled in this study were immunized with TET on the day of transplant. Significant rises in TET specific IgG were observed in TET immunized, but not in unimmunized, subjects. Similarly, TET specific lymphoproliferative responses were observed only in TET immunized subjects when they emerged from aplasia 3 to 4 weeks later. In contrast, all subjects had positive lymphoproliferative responses to SPL, an antigen derived from a ubiquitous agent All subjects were assayed weekly for the presence of BKV in the urine as detected by ELISA. By 15 weeks, 11 (58%) of these patients shed detectable quantities of BKV antigen at least once. Subjects who excreted BKV (BKV+) maintained BKV specific IgG at pretransplant levels, whereas levels steadily declined in those who did not (BKV-) (p less than 0.001). Lymphoproliferative responses to BKV, TET, and SPL antigens were not significantly different across time or between excretion groups. The temporal relationship of BKV shedding and the expression of BKV specific immunity was investigated by examining average responses measured in 5-week intervals surrounding positive and negative antigen detection assays. Both BKV specific IgG and BKV specific lymphoproliferative responses were higher (1.8 fold, p less than 0.005 and 2.5 fold, p = 0.06, respectively) surrounding positive detection assays. These findings indicate a strong association between BKV excretion and the development of indicators of virus specific immunity following BMT.

Humoral and cellular responses to homologous extracts of Nematospiroides dubius and Nippostrongylus brasiliensis

Price P. and Turner K.J. 1986. Humoral and cellular responses to homologous extracts of Nematospiroides dubius and Nippostrongylus brosiliensis. International Journal for Parasitology 16: 601–606. Humoral and cellular responses to homologous parasite extracts were studied in C57BL mice infected with Nematospiroides dubius or Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, to determine whether these parasites induced specific immunosuppression which might facilitate their survival. IgG and IgM titres to adult, excretory-secretory, larval and egg antigens from N. dubius and adult antigen from N. brasiliensis increased progressively for several weeks, irrespective of parasite rejection. Delayed-type hypersensitivity responses to the same antigens peaked after about 2 weeks and then remained constant in N. dubius -infected mice, but declined after the rejection of N. brasiliensis. The specific lymphoproliferative responses of spleen cells to these extracts reached peak values 1–3 weeks after infection and were anti-Thy 1.2-sensitive. They then declined sharply, but remained above the levels seen in uninfected mice. These results should be considered in the interpretation of any investigations into the stable host-parasite relationship which exists during a primary N. dubius infection.

Plasmodium berghei: Reduction of the mouse's specific lymphoproliferative response in relation to corticosterone and pregnancy

Spleen cells from mice immune to Plasmodium berghei exhibited a significantly increased in vitro proliferative response to parasitized reticulocytes compared to spleen cells from normal mice. The specific response to malaria antigen was decreased in spleen cells from pregnant immune mice in contrast to the nonspecific response to the mitogen phytohemagglutinin. Addition of mouse serum to spleen cell cultures of immune mice depressed both the phytohemagglutinin and the specific proliferative response, whereas serum of pregnant mice exerted an even stronger inhibition than serum of nonpregnant mice. Charcoal adsorption of mouse sera for the elimination of steroid hormones removed the serum dependent immunosuppression from normal as well as pregnant serum. Corticosterone added to the spleen cell cultures depressed also the proliferative response. These findings demonstrate that the response to malaria antigen is decreased in immune mice during pregnancy. The possible effect of serum corticosterone on the depression of the immune response is discussed.

Regulation of herpes simplex virus-specific lymphoproliferation by suppressor cells.

We investigated the regulation of the herpes simplex virus (HSV)-specific lymphoproliferative response (LPR) by suppressor cells. The chief cell types in HSV-immune splenocytes proliferating in response to the antigen were Lyt 1+ and Lyt 2+ T cells, which accounted for approximately 60 and 40% of the response, respectively. Because the total responsiveness of splenocytes was enhanced after depletion of Lyt 2+ cells, the LPR was assumed to be subject to regulation by an Lyt 2+ suppressor cell. This was shown to be the case with an experimental design in which suppressor cell activity was induced in one culture, the cells were irradiated, and the effects on LPR were measured in a test antigen-stimulated culture. The cell responsible for suppression was shown to be Lyt 2+ IJ+, and the actual suppressor effect was not antigen specific. Cellular requirements for the generation of suppression were also investigated. The three distinct cell types that appeared to be required were Lyt 2+ and Lyt 1+ T cells and an IJ+ antigen-presenting cell. Of the three cell types, only the Lyt 2+ cell needed to be from HSV-immune animals. The implications of our model system for the better understanding of the role of immunity in herpesvirus pathogenesis are discussed.

Pulmonary immune effector cells: II. Antigen-specific blastogenic responsiveness of lymphocyte populations during pulmonary immune complex disease in guinea pigs.

A guinea pig pulmonary immune complex disease was used to evaluate local antigen (ovalbumin)-specific lymphoproliferative responses in lung tissue, bronchoalveolar spaces, and hilar lymph nodes (HLN) at various time intervals after challenge. The responses of lung tissue and bronchoalveolar lymphocytes appear to be mediated by T cells, whereas the response of HLN lymphocytes was mediated by B and/or T cells, depending on the stage of the disease. The blastogenic response of HLN lymphocytes to concanavalin A was much greater than that observed in lung tissue or bronchoalveolar lymphocyte preparations, even after the removal of adherent cells, suggesting a possible inherent difference between these cell populations in their response to mitogen. This study demonstrates that lung tissue, bronchoalveolar, and HLN lymphocytes are not only capable of responding blastogenically to specific antigen, but that this responsiveness varies throughout the course of the disease. The lymphoproliferative responses and concurrent changes in the proportion of pulmonary immune effector cells are discussed in relation to cellular immunoregulation during the in vivo progression of this pulmonary immune complex disease.