TCR V beta 8+ T cells prevent development of toxoplasmic encephalitis in BALB/c mice genetically resistant to the disease

• Published in: The Journal of immunology (1950) 2003-04, Vol.170 (8), p.4254-4259
• Main Authors: Kang, Hoil, Liesenfeld, Oliver, Remington, Jack S, Claflin, Jennifer, Wang, Xisheng, Suzuki, Yasuhiro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adoptive Transfer; Animals; Biomarkers - analysis; Brain - immunology; Brain - pathology; Cell Movement - genetics; Cell Movement - immunology; Encephalitis - genetics; Encephalitis - immunology; Encephalitis - pathology; Encephalitis - prevention & control; Female; Gene Rearrangement, alpha-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor; Gene Rearrangement, beta-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Immunity, Innate - genetics; Interferon-gamma - biosynthesis; Killer Cells, Natural - immunology; Killer Cells, Natural - metabolism; Lymphocyte Count; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Inbred CBA; Mice, Nude; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta - biosynthesis; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta - genetics; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - immunology; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - metabolism; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - transplantation; Toxoplasma - immunology; Toxoplasmosis, Animal - genetics; Toxoplasmosis, Animal - immunology; Toxoplasmosis, Animal - pathology; Toxoplasmosis, Animal - prevention & control; Toxoplasmosis, Cerebral - genetics; Toxoplasmosis, Cerebral - immunology; Toxoplasmosis, Cerebral - pathology; Toxoplasmosis, Cerebral - prevention & control
• ISSN: 0022-1767
• DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.170.8.4254

BALB/c are genetically resistant to development of toxoplasmic encephalitis (TE) when infected with Toxoplasma gondii, whereas CBA/Ca mice are susceptible. We compared TCR Vbeta chain usage in lymphocytes infiltrated into brains between these animals following infection. TCR Vbeta8(+) cells were the most frequent T cell population in brains of infected, resistant BALB/c mice, whereas TCR Vbeta6(+) T cells were more prevalent than Vbeta8(+) T cells in brains of infected, susceptible CBA/Ca mice. Adoptive transfer of Vbeta8(+) immune T cells, obtained from infected BALB/c mice, prevented development of TE and mortality in infected athymic nude mice that lack T cells. In contrast, adoptive transfer of Vbeta6(+) immune T cells did not prevent development of TE or mortality in the nude mice. The protective activity of Vbeta8(+) immune T cells was greater than that of the total Vbeta8(-) population. In addition, Vbeta8(+) immune T cells produced markedly greater amounts of IFN-gamma than did the Vbeta8(-) population after stimulation with tachyzoite lysate Ags in vitro. Thus, Vbeta8(+) T cells appear to play a crucial role in the genetic resistance of BALB/c mice against development of TE.