The Role of Multifunctional T cells in IL-10 Deficient CBA/J Mice Infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis
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Date
2012-06
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The Ohio State University
Abstract
Most humans infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) can exhibit asymptomatic control of the infection however, 10% of humans can reactivate infection to develop contagious tuberculosis (TB). IL-10 is an immunosuppressive cytokine that has been hypothesized to play a role in the reactivation of M.tb infection. Previous studies have shown that CBA/J IL10 knockout mice can better control M.tb infection compared to wild type CBA/J mice. This has been noted by a measured decrease in the pulmonary bacterial load throughout infection, an increase in survival compared to M.tb-infected CBA/J mice, and enhanced early TH1 mediated immune responses. Multifunctional CD4+ T cells, T cells that produce IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-2, have recently been linked to control of M.tb infection. The goal of this project was to analyze multifunctional T cells in the CBA/J mouse strain, a strain that is naturally susceptible to M.tb, as well as in CBA/J IL-10 knockout mice. The mediastinal lymph node of CBA/J mice and CBA/J IL10 knockout mice was analyzed early in infection for the presence of multifunctional CD4+ T cells. Our hypothesis was the IL-10 knockout mice would show higher numbers of T cells as well as more T cells with the ability to produce multiple pro-inflammatory cytokines at early time points in infection. It was found that the CBA/J IL10 knockout mice possessed more CD4+ T cells with the ability to produce one, two, or three of the protective cytokines. Therefore, the presence of multifunctional CD4 T cells may be linked with improved control of M.tb infection, a finding that could lead to further therapeutic development.
Description
Mayers Summer Research Scholarship
2012 Denman Undergraduate Research Forum. 1st Place in Biological Sciences.
2012 Denman Undergraduate Research Forum. 1st Place in Biological Sciences.
Keywords
Mycobacterium tuberculosis IL-10 multifunctional T cells, lymph node