Research Information System
JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY, vol.161, no.3, pp.1558-1567, 1998 (SCI-Expanded)
Although the identity of T cells involved in the protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) in humans remain unknown, patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) hare reduced numbers of Mtb-reactive, V gamma 9(+)/V delta 2(+) T cells in their blood and lungs. sere ne have determined whether this gamma delta T loss is a consequence of Mtb Ag-mediated activation-induced cell death (AICD). Using a DNA polymerase-mediated dUTP nick translation labeling assay, 5% or less of freshly isolated CD4(+) alpha beta or gamma delta T cells from normal healthy individuals and TB patients were apoptotic. However, during culture Mtb Ags, induced apoptosis in a large proportion of V gamma 9(+)/V delta 2(+) peripheral blood T cells from healthy subjects (30-45%) and TB patients (55-68%); this was increased further in the presence of IL-2, By contrast, anti-CD3 did not induce any significant level of apoptosis In gamma delta T cells from healthy subjects or TB patients. Mtb Ag stimulation rapidly induced Fas and Fas ligand (FasL) expression by gamma delta T cells, and in the presence of metalloproteinase-inhibitors >70% of gamma delta T cells were FasL(+). Blockade of Fas-FasL interactions reduced the level of Mtb-mediated gamma delta T cell apoptosis by 75 to 80%. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that Mtb-reactive gamma delta T cells are more susceptible to AICD and that the Fas-FasL pathways of apoptosis is involved. AICD of gamma delta T cells, therefore, provides an explanation for the loss of Mtb-reactive T cells during mycobacterial infection.