Intercellular interactions and cytokine responsiveness of peritoneal α/β and γ/δ T cells from Listeria-infected mice : synergistic effects of interleukin 1 and 7 on γ/δ T cells

• Published in: The Journal of experimental medicine Vol. 178; no. 3; pp. 985 - 996
• Main Authors: SKEEN, M. J, ZIEGLER, H. K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Rockefeller University Press 01.09.1993; The Rockefeller University Press
• Subjects: Analysis of the immune response. Humoral and cellular immunity; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Cytokines - physiology; Drug Synergism; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Immunobiology; Interleukin-1 - administration & dosage; Interleukin-7 - administration & dosage; Listeria monocytogenes; Listeriosis - immunology; Lymphocyte Activation - drug effects; Macrophages - physiology; Mice; Mice, Inbred C3H; Organs and cells involved in the immune response; Peritoneal Cavity - cytology; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta - metabolism; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta - metabolism; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - immunology; Immune response; γ/δ T cell receptor; Rodentia; Cytokine; Listeriosis; Cell cell interaction; Cellular immunity; Cell subpopulation; Synergism; Biological activity; Infection; Interleukin 7; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Listeria; Mouse; Interleukin 1; T-Lymphocyte; Bacteriosis; Bacteria; α/β T cell receptor; Peritoneum
• ISSN: 0022-1007; 1540-9538
• DOI: 10.1084/jem.178.3.985

Peritoneal gamma/delta T cells from Listeria-immune mice show an enhanced potential to expand when restimulated with antigens or mitogens in vitro (see companion paper [Skeen, M. J., and H. K. Ziegler. 1993. J. Exp. Med. 178:971]). When cocultured with peritoneal alpha/beta T cells, the gamma/delta T cell population expanded preferentially even when the in vitro stimulus was specific for the alpha/beta T cell population. Purified gamma/delta T cells did not respond to alpha/beta T cell-specific stimuli. If isolated T cell subsets were recombined in cell mixing experiments, the resulting proliferative response was greater than additive. Irradiated alpha/beta T cells could enhance the proliferation of responding gamma/delta T cells, but the effect was unidirectional; i.e., irradiated gamma/delta T cells did not stimulate responding gamma/delta T cells. This effect appeared to be cytokine mediated and did not require cell-cell contact. Both recombinant interleukin 2 (rIL-2) and rIL-7 could support the expansion of the gamma/delta T cells, while rIL-7 was only minimally stimulatory for the alpha/beta T cells. The magnitude of the response by gamma/delta T cells to rIL-7 exceeded the response to other in vitro stimuli, including immobilized anti-T cell receptor monoclonal antibody, and was 50-100-fold greater than the alpha/beta T cell response to IL-7. This unique sensitivity of gamma/delta T cells to IL-7 was strongly enhanced by the presence of accessory cells. These cells could be replaced by rIL-1, establishing a synergy for IL-1 and IL-7 as factors that could uniquely stimulate this gamma/delta T cell population. Isolated peritoneal gamma/delta T cells from Listeria-immune mice react to heat-killed Listeria preparations in the presence of macrophages accessory cells in a non-H-2-restricted manner. Considered collectively, these results suggest a potential mechanism by which gamma/delta T cells can predominate in epithelial tissues and at sites of infection.