IFN-gamma-producing gamma delta T cells help control murine West Nile virus infection

• Published in: The Journal of immunology (1950) 2003-09, Vol.171 (5), p.2524-2531
• Main Authors: Wang, Tian, Scully, Eileen, Yin, Zhinan, Kim, Jung H, Wang, Sha, Yan, Jun, Mamula, Mark, Anderson, John F, Craft, Joe, Fikrig, Erol
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adoptive Transfer; Animals; Blood - immunology; Blood - virology; Cell Division - genetics; Cell Division - immunology; Cells, Cultured; Cytotoxicity, Immunologic - genetics; Encephalitis, Viral - genetics; Encephalitis, Viral - immunology; Encephalitis, Viral - prevention & control; Encephalitis, Viral - virology; Female; Genes, T-Cell Receptor beta - genetics; Genes, T-Cell Receptor delta - genetics; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Interferon-gamma - biosynthesis; Interferon-gamma - physiology; Lymphoid Tissue - immunology; Lymphoid Tissue - virology; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Knockout; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta - deficiency; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta - genetics; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta - deficiency; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta - genetics; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta - physiology; Severity of Illness Index; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - immunology; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - metabolism; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - pathology; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - transplantation; Viral Load; West Nile Fever - genetics; West Nile Fever - immunology; West Nile Fever - prevention & control; West Nile Fever - virology; West Nile virus - immunology
• ISSN: 0022-1767
• DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.171.5.2524

West Nile (WN) virus causes fatal meningoencephalitis in laboratory mice, thereby partially mimicking human disease. Using this model, we have demonstrated that mice deficient in gammadelta T cells are more susceptible to WN virus infection. TCRdelta(-/-) mice have elevated viral loads and greater dissemination of the pathogen to the CNS. In wild-type mice, gammadelta T cells expanded significantly during WN virus infection, produced IFN-gamma in ex vivo assays, and enhanced perforin expression by splenic T cells. Adoptive transfer of gammadelta T cells to TCRdelta(-/-) mice reduced the susceptibility of these mice to WN virus, and this effect was primarily due to IFN-gamma-producing gammadelta T cells. These data demonstrate a distinct role for gammadelta T cells in the control of and prevention of mortality from murine WN virus infection.