1. Increase of tuberculous infection in the organs of B cell-deficient mice.
- Author
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Vordermeier HM, Venkataprasad N, Harris DP, and Ivanyi J
- Subjects
- Animals, BCG Vaccine administration & dosage, Colony Count, Microbial, Cytokines metabolism, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Female, Genes, Immunoglobulin genetics, Immunoglobulin mu-Chains genetics, Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes genetics, Male, Mice, Mice, Knockout, Spleen metabolism, T-Lymphocytes immunology, Tuberculosis prevention & control, Vaccination, B-Lymphocytes physiology, Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes microbiology, Liver microbiology, Lung microbiology, Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolation & purification, Spleen microbiology, Tuberculosis etiology
- Abstract
Protective immunity against infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis is imparted by T cells rather than antibodies, but B cells can play a role as antigen-presenting cells and in granuloma formation. We re-evaluated the role of B cells in the course of tuberculous infection in mu-chain knock-out (Ig-) mice. Surprisingly, the organs of M. tuberculosis-infected Ig- mice were found to have three- to eight-fold elevated counts of viable bacilli compared with normal littermates at 3-6 weeks post-infection. Splenic interferon-gamma responses to whole antigen were unimpaired, whilst proliferation to certain mycobacterial peptides was found to be diminished. However, bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination significantly reduced the infection in Ig- mice. The mechanisms by which B cells can influence primary tuberculous infection need further study.
- Published
- 1996
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