Skip to main content
Infection and Immunity logoLink to Infection and Immunity
. 1993 May;61(5):2154–2161. doi: 10.1128/iai.61.5.2154-2161.1993

Listeria monocytogenes-induced gamma interferon secretion by intestinal intraepithelial gamma/delta T lymphocytes.

S Yamamoto 1, F Russ 1, H C Teixeira 1, P Conradt 1, S H Kaufmann 1
PMCID: PMC280816  PMID: 8478105

Abstract

gamma/delta T cells represent a major proportion of intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL), and it has been suggested that these IEL serve as a first immune barrier against microbial invasion and that they do so by destroying infected epithelial cells. In the present study, we confirm that both alpha/beta and gamma/delta IEL from naive mice express potent cytotoxicity and produce gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) after T-cell receptor (TCR) engagement by specific monoclonal antibodies (MAb). Intraperitoneal administration of the anti-gamma/delta TCR MAb GL3 caused downregulation of the gamma/delta TCR in IEL, and IEL from gamma/delta TCR-modulated mice failed to express cytotoxic activity and to secrete IFN-gamma after gamma/delta TCR engagement. In contrast, alpha/beta IEL from such mice were still cytolytic and secreted IFN-gamma. Mice were infected orally with virulent Listeria monocytogenes at doses which caused bacterial invasion through the intestinal epithelia. Although alpha/beta and gamma/delta IEL from these mice expressed high cytolytic activities in antibody-redirected killer assays, target cells pulsed with listerial antigens were not lysed. In contrast, IFN-gamma secretion by IEL from L. monocytogenes-infected mice was induced not only by anti-TCR MAb but also by target cells pulsed with listerial antigens, whereas irrelevant antigens, including heat shock protein 60, did not induce IFN-gamma secretion. Furthermore, the number of IFN-gamma-secreting IEL, as assessed by the enzyme-linked immunospot technique, was increased during listeriosis. gamma/delta TCR modulation by GL3 administration abrogated antigen-induced IFN-gamma secretion by IEL from infected mice. These findings suggest that L. monocytogenes induced IFN-gamma secretion by gamma/delta IEL from mice suffering from intestinal L. monocytogenes infection and invasion. Thus, the data provide evidence for a role of IFN-gamma-secreting IEL in local resistance against listeriosis and perhaps other food-borne diseases.

Full text

PDF
2154

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Allison J. P., Havran W. L. The immunobiology of T cells with invariant gamma delta antigen receptors. Annu Rev Immunol. 1991;9:679–705. doi: 10.1146/annurev.iy.09.040191.003335. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Asarnow D. M., Goodman T., LeFrancois L., Allison J. P. Distinct antigen receptor repertoires of two classes of murine epithelium-associated T cells. Nature. 1989 Sep 7;341(6237):60–62. doi: 10.1038/341060a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Barrett T. A., Gajewski T. F., Danielpour D., Chang E. B., Beagley K. W., Bluestone J. A. Differential function of intestinal intraepithelial lymphocyte subsets. J Immunol. 1992 Aug 15;149(4):1124–1130. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bonneville M., Janeway C. A., Jr, Ito K., Haser W., Ishida I., Nakanishi N., Tonegawa S. Intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes are a distinct set of gamma delta T cells. Nature. 1988 Dec 1;336(6198):479–481. doi: 10.1038/336479a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Goodman T., Lefrancois L. Intraepithelial lymphocytes. Anatomical site, not T cell receptor form, dictates phenotype and function. J Exp Med. 1989 Nov 1;170(5):1569–1581. doi: 10.1084/jem.170.5.1569. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Goodman T., Lefrançois L. Expression of the gamma-delta T-cell receptor on intestinal CD8+ intraepithelial lymphocytes. Nature. 1988 Jun 30;333(6176):855–858. doi: 10.1038/333855a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Guy-Grand D., Cerf-Bensussan N., Malissen B., Malassis-Seris M., Briottet C., Vassalli P. Two gut intraepithelial CD8+ lymphocyte populations with different T cell receptors: a role for the gut epithelium in T cell differentiation. J Exp Med. 1991 Feb 1;173(2):471–481. doi: 10.1084/jem.173.2.471. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Guy-Grand D., Malassis-Seris M., Briottet C., Vassalli P. Cytotoxic differentiation of mouse gut thymodependent and independent intraepithelial T lymphocytes is induced locally. Correlation between functional assays, presence of perforin and granzyme transcripts, and cytoplasmic granules. J Exp Med. 1991 Jun 1;173(6):1549–1552. doi: 10.1084/jem.173.6.1549. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Haas W., Kaufman S., Martinez C. The development and function of gamma delta T cells. Immunol Today. 1990 Oct;11(10):340–343. doi: 10.1016/0167-5699(90)90133-t. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Hahn H., Kaufmann S. H. The role of cell-mediated immunity in bacterial infections. Rev Infect Dis. 1981 Nov-Dec;3(6):1221–1250. doi: 10.1093/clinids/3.6.1221. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Hiromatsu K., Yoshikai Y., Matsuzaki G., Ohga S., Muramori K., Matsumoto K., Bluestone J. A., Nomoto K. A protective role of gamma/delta T cells in primary infection with Listeria monocytogenes in mice. J Exp Med. 1992 Jan 1;175(1):49–56. doi: 10.1084/jem.175.1.49. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Holmgren J., Czerkinsky C., Lycke N., Svennerholm A. M. Mucosal immunity: implications for vaccine development. Immunobiology. 1992 Feb;184(2-3):157–179. doi: 10.1016/S0171-2985(11)80473-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Janssen O., Wesselborg S., Heckl-Ostreicher B., Pechhold K., Bender A., Schondelmaier S., Moldenhauer G., Kabelitz D. T cell receptor/CD3-signaling induces death by apoptosis in human T cell receptor gamma delta + T cells. J Immunol. 1991 Jan 1;146(1):35–39. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Kaufmann S. H., Hahn H. Biological functions of t cell lines with specificity for the intracellular bacterium Listeria monocytogenes in vitro and in vivo. J Exp Med. 1982 Jun 1;155(6):1754–1765. doi: 10.1084/jem.155.6.1754. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Kaufmann S. H. Listeriosis: new findings--current concern. Microb Pathog. 1988 Oct;5(4):225–231. doi: 10.1016/0882-4010(88)90094-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Kaufmann S. H., Rodewald H. R., Hug E., De Libero G. Cloned Listeria monocytogenes specific non-MHC-restricted Lyt-2+ T cells with cytolytic and protective activity. J Immunol. 1988 May 1;140(9):3173–3179. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Koga T., Wand-Württenberger A., DeBruyn J., Munk M. E., Schoel B., Kaufmann S. H. T cells against a bacterial heat shock protein recognize stressed macrophages. Science. 1989 Sep 8;245(4922):1112–1115. doi: 10.1126/science.2788923. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Kubo R. T., Born W., Kappler J. W., Marrack P., Pigeon M. Characterization of a monoclonal antibody which detects all murine alpha beta T cell receptors. J Immunol. 1989 Apr 15;142(8):2736–2742. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Kurlander R. J., Shawar S. M., Brown M. L., Rich R. R. Specialized role for a murine class I-b MHC molecule in prokaryotic host defenses. Science. 1992 Jul 31;257(5070):678–679. doi: 10.1126/science.1496381. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Lefrancois L., Goodman T. In vivo modulation of cytolytic activity and Thy-1 expression in TCR-gamma delta+ intraepithelial lymphocytes. Science. 1989 Mar 31;243(4899):1716–1718. doi: 10.1126/science.2564701. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Lefrancois L. Phenotypic complexity of intraepithelial lymphocytes of the small intestine. J Immunol. 1991 Sep 15;147(6):1746–1751. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Maloy K. J., Mowat A. M., Zamoyska R., Crispe I. N. Phenotypic heterogeneity of intraepithelial T lymphocytes from mouse small intestine. Immunology. 1991 Apr;72(4):555–562. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Mosley R. L., Styre D., Klein J. R. CD4+CD8+ murine intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes. Int Immunol. 1990;2(4):361–365. doi: 10.1093/intimm/2.4.361. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Möller S. A., Borrebaeck C. A. A filter immuno-plaque assay for the detection of antibody-secreting cells in vitro. J Immunol Methods. 1985 May 23;79(2):195–204. doi: 10.1016/0022-1759(85)90099-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. O'Brien R. L., Fu Y. X., Cranfill R., Dallas A., Ellis C., Reardon C., Lang J., Carding S. R., Kubo R., Born W. Heat shock protein Hsp60-reactive gamma delta cells: a large, diversified T-lymphocyte subset with highly focused specificity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1992 May 15;89(10):4348–4352. doi: 10.1073/pnas.89.10.4348. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Ohga S., Yoshikai Y., Takeda Y., Hiromatsu K., Nomoto K. Sequential appearance of gamma/delta- and alpha/beta-bearing T cells in the peritoneal cavity during an i.p. infection with Listeria monocytogenes. Eur J Immunol. 1990 Mar;20(3):533–538. doi: 10.1002/eji.1830200311. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Pamer E. G., Wang C. R., Flaherty L., Lindahl K. F., Bevan M. J. H-2M3 presents a Listeria monocytogenes peptide to cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Cell. 1992 Jul 24;70(2):215–223. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(92)90097-v. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Prat M., Gribaudo G., Comoglio P. M., Cavallo G., Landolfo S. Monoclonal antibodies against murine gamma interferon. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1984 Jul;81(14):4515–4519. doi: 10.1073/pnas.81.14.4515. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Raulet D. H. The structure, function, and molecular genetics of the gamma/delta T cell receptor. Annu Rev Immunol. 1989;7:175–207. doi: 10.1146/annurev.iy.07.040189.001135. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Singh I. G., Mukherjee R., Talwar G. P., Kaufmann S. H. In vitro characterization of T cells from Mycobacterium w-vaccinated mice. Infect Immun. 1992 Jan;60(1):257–263. doi: 10.1128/iai.60.1.257-263.1992. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Spitalny G. L., Havell E. A. Monoclonal antibody to murine gamma interferon inhibits lymphokine-induced antiviral and macrophage tumoricidal activities. J Exp Med. 1984 May 1;159(5):1560–1565. doi: 10.1084/jem.159.5.1560. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Taguchi T., Aicher W. K., Fujihashi K., Yamamoto M., McGhee J. R., Bluestone J. A., Kiyono H. Novel function for intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes. Murine CD3+, gamma/delta TCR+ T cells produce IFN-gamma and IL-5. J Immunol. 1991 Dec 1;147(11):3736–3744. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Takagaki Y., DeCloux A., Bonneville M., Tonegawa S. Diversity of gamma delta T-cell receptors on murine intestinal intra-epithelial lymphocytes. Nature. 1989 Jun 29;339(6227):712–714. doi: 10.1038/339712a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Viney J. L., Kilshaw P. J., MacDonald T. T. Cytotoxic alpha/beta+ and gamma/delta+ T cells in murine intestinal epithelium. Eur J Immunol. 1990 Jul;20(7):1623–1626. doi: 10.1002/eji.1830200734. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  35. Viney J. L., MacDonald T. T., Kilshaw P. J. T-cell receptor expression in intestinal intra-epithelial lymphocyte subpopulations of normal and athymic mice. Immunology. 1989 Apr;66(4):583–587. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  36. Viney J., MacDonald T. T., Spencer J. Gamma/delta T cells in the gut epithelium. Gut. 1990 Aug;31(8):841–844. doi: 10.1136/gut.31.8.841. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Infection and Immunity are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES