Increased autoreactive T cell frequency in tuberculous patients.

The development of putative self-MHC-reactive T cells and their precursor frequency was estimated in peripheral blood lymphocyte cultures stimulated in vitro with PPD. The role of foreign antigen in the generation of self-MHC-reactive T cells in vivo was analyzed by comparing the frequency of autoreactive T cells in the peripheral blood of tuberculous patients with that observed in healthy individuals. It was found that PPD in vitro and Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in vivo increased substantially the generation of autoreactive T cells. Autoreactive T cell clones were shown (1) to recognize self MHC class II products; (2) to release gamma interferon in the absence of exogenous antigen, and (3) to express autocytotoxic activity. All these findings suggest that self-MHC-reactive T cells may be involved in the inflammatory response to M. tuberculosis.