Skip to main content
NCBI home page
The Journal of Clinical Investigation logoLink to The Journal of Clinical Investigation
. 1982 Jan;69(1):9–16. doi: 10.1172/JCI110445

Evidence for T Cell-dependent Immunity to Bacteroides fragilis in an Intraabdominal Abscess Model

Andrew B Onderdonk 1,2,3,4, Richard B Markham 1,2,3,4, Dori F Zaleznik 1,2,3,4, Ronald L Cisneros 1,2,3,4, Dennis L Kasper 1,2,3,4
PMCID: PMC371162  PMID: 6976357

Abstract

It has been shown that active immunization of rats with the capsular polysaccharide of Bacteroides fragilis protects these animals against abscess development following intraperitoneal challenge with this species. Passive transfer of hyperimmune globulin from immunized animals to nonimmune recipients provided protection against B. fragilis bacteremia in challenged animals, but did not confer protection against abscess development. On the other hand, adoptive transfer of spleen cells from immunized animals to nonimmunized recipients resulted in protection against abscesses following challenge with B. fragilis. These data suggested that a T cell-dependent immune response was involved in protection against abscess development after immunization with B. fragilis capsular antigen.

To determine the possible role of cell-mediated immunity prompted by the capsular antigen, inbred congenitally athymic OLA/Rnu rats and their phenotypically normal littermates were actively immunized. Despite the development of high titers of anti-B. fragilis capsular antibody, 100% of actively immunized athymic rats developed abscesses, as did 100% of unimmunized athymic control rats. However, no phenotypically normal littermate control rats that were actively immunized developed abscesses, while 100% of phenotypically normal unimmunized rats developed abscesses. Additional studies showed that adoptive transfer of T cell-enriched spleen cell preparations from Wistar/Lewis rats immunized with the capsular polysaccharide to nonimmune recipients also resulted in protection against B. fragilis-induced abscesses.

We conclude that the protection afforded by immunization with B. fragilis capsule against intraabdominal abscesses caused by that organism is T cell-mediated and does not require the presence of serum antibody.

Full text

PDF
9

Selected References

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

  1. Battisto J. R., Chiappetta G., Hixon R. Immunologic responses of guinea pigs to dextran. J Immunol. 1968 Aug;101(2):203–209. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Blanden R. V., Langman R. E. Cell-mediated immunity to bacterial infection in the mouse. Thymus-derived cells as effectors of acquired resistance to Listeria monocytogenes. Scand J Immunol. 1972;1(4):379–391. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3083.1972.tb03304.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Crowle A. J., Hu C. C. Delayed hypersensitivity in mice to dextran. Int Arch Allergy Appl Immunol. 1967;31(2):123–144. doi: 10.1159/000229861. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Fisher M. C., Baluarte H. J., Long S. S. Bacteremia due to Bacteroides fragilis after elective appendectomy in renal transplant recipients. J Infect Dis. 1981 May;143(5):635–638. doi: 10.1093/infdis/143.5.635. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Gerety R. J., Ferraresi R. W., Raffel S. Polysaccharide in delayed hypersensitivity. I. Pneumococcal polysaccharide as inducer and elicitor of delayed reactivity in guinea pigs. J Exp Med. 1970 Jan 1;131(1):189–206. doi: 10.1084/jem.131.1.189. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Gorbach S. L., Bartlett J. G. Anaerobic infections. 1. N Engl J Med. 1974 May 23;290(21):1177–1184. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197405232902106. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Julius M. H., Simpson E., Herzenberg L. A. A rapid method for the isolation of functional thymus-derived murine lymphocytes. Eur J Immunol. 1973 Oct;3(10):645–649. doi: 10.1002/eji.1830031011. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Kasper D. L. Chemical and biological characterization of the lipopolysaccharide of Bacteroides fragilis subspecies fragilis. J Infect Dis. 1976 Jul;134(1):59–66. doi: 10.1093/infdis/134.1.59. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Kasper D. L. Chemical and biological characterization of the lipopolysaccharide of Bacteroides fragilis subspecies fragilis. J Infect Dis. 1976 Jul;134(1):59–66. doi: 10.1093/infdis/134.1.59. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Kasper D. L., Hayes M. E., Reinap B. G., Craft F. O., Onderdonk A. B., Polk B. F. Isolation and identification of encapsulated strains of Bacteroides fragilis. J Infect Dis. 1977 Jul;136(1):75–81. doi: 10.1093/infdis/136.1.75. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Kasper D. L., Onderdonk A. B., Bartlett J. G. Quantitative determination of the antibody response to the capsular polysaccharide of Bacteroides fragilis in an animal model of intraabdominal abscess formation. J Infect Dis. 1977 Dec;136(6):789–795. doi: 10.1093/infdis/136.6.789. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Kasper D. L., Onderdonk A. B., Crabb J., Bartlett J. G. Protective efficacy of immunization with capsular antigen against experimental infection with Bacteroides fragilis. J Infect Dis. 1979 Nov;140(5):724–731. doi: 10.1093/infdis/140.5.724. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Lefford M. J. Editorial: Delayed hypersensitivity and immunity in tuberculosis. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1975 Mar;111(3):243–246. doi: 10.1164/arrd.1975.111.3.243. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Mackaness G. B., Hill W. C. The effect of anti-lymphocyte globulin on cell-mediated reistance to infection. J Exp Med. 1969 May 1;129(5):993–1012. doi: 10.1084/jem.129.5.993. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Onderdonk A. B., Bartlett J. G., Louie T., Sullivan-Seigler N., Gorbach S. L. Microbial synergy in experimental intra-abdominal abscess. Infect Immun. 1976 Jan;13(1):22–26. doi: 10.1128/iai.13.1.22-26.1976. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Onderdonk A. B., Kasper D. L., Cisneros R. L., Bartlett J. G. The capsular polysaccharide of Bacteroides fragilis as a virulence factor: comparison of the pathogenic potential of encapsulated and unencapsulated strains. J Infect Dis. 1977 Jul;136(1):82–89. doi: 10.1093/infdis/136.1.82. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Polk B. F., Kasper D. L. Bacteroides fragilis subspecies in clinical isolates. Ann Intern Med. 1977 May;86(5):569–571. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-86-5-569. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Taubler J. H. Staphylococcal delayed hypersensitivity in mice. I. Induction and in vivo demonstration of delayed hypersensitivity. J Immunol. 1968 Sep;101(3):546–549. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Weinstein W. M., Onderdonk A. B., Bartlett J. G., Gorbach S. L. Experimental intra-abdominal abscesses in rats: development of an experimental model. Infect Immun. 1974 Dec;10(6):1250–1255. doi: 10.1128/iai.10.6.1250-1255.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Wilson W. R., Martin W. J., Wilkowske C. J., Washington J. A., 2nd Anaerobic bacteremia. Mayo Clin Proc. 1972 Sep;47(9):639–646. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Youmans G. P. Relation between delayed hypersensitivity and immunity in tuberculosis. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1975 Feb;111(2):109–118. doi: 10.1164/arrd.1975.111.2.109. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Clinical Investigation are provided here courtesy of American Society for Clinical Investigation

RESOURCES