IFN-gamma-producing gamma delta T cells help control murine West Nile virus infection

Tian Wang; Eileen Scully; Zhinan Yin; Jung H Kim; Sha Wang; Jun Yan; Mark Mamula; John F Anderson; Joe Craft; Erol Fikrig

doi:10.4049/jimmunol.171.5.2524

IFN-gamma-producing gamma delta T cells help control murine West Nile virus infection

J Immunol. 2003 Sep 1;171(5):2524-31. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.171.5.2524.

Authors

Tian Wang¹, Eileen Scully, Zhinan Yin, Jung H Kim, Sha Wang, Jun Yan, Mark Mamula, John F Anderson, Joe Craft, Erol Fikrig

Affiliation

¹ Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Rheumatology, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.

PMID: 12928402
DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.171.5.2524

Abstract

West Nile (WN) virus causes fatal meningoencephalitis in laboratory mice, thereby partially mimicking human disease. Using this model, we have demonstrated that mice deficient in gammadelta T cells are more susceptible to WN virus infection. TCRdelta(-/-) mice have elevated viral loads and greater dissemination of the pathogen to the CNS. In wild-type mice, gammadelta T cells expanded significantly during WN virus infection, produced IFN-gamma in ex vivo assays, and enhanced perforin expression by splenic T cells. Adoptive transfer of gammadelta T cells to TCRdelta(-/-) mice reduced the susceptibility of these mice to WN virus, and this effect was primarily due to IFN-gamma-producing gammadelta T cells. These data demonstrate a distinct role for gammadelta T cells in the control of and prevention of mortality from murine WN virus infection.

Publication types

Comparative Study
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Adoptive Transfer
Animals
Blood / immunology
Blood / virology
Cell Division / genetics
Cell Division / immunology
Cells, Cultured
Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / genetics
Encephalitis, Viral / genetics
Encephalitis, Viral / immunology
Encephalitis, Viral / prevention & control
Encephalitis, Viral / virology
Female
Genes, T-Cell Receptor beta / genetics
Genes, T-Cell Receptor delta / genetics
Genetic Predisposition to Disease
Interferon-gamma / biosynthesis*
Interferon-gamma / physiology
Lymphoid Tissue / immunology
Lymphoid Tissue / virology
Mice
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Mice, Knockout
Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / deficiency
Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / genetics
Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / deficiency
Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / genetics
Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / physiology*
Severity of Illness Index
T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology*
T-Lymphocyte Subsets / metabolism*
T-Lymphocyte Subsets / pathology
T-Lymphocyte Subsets / transplantation
Viral Load
West Nile Fever / genetics
West Nile Fever / immunology
West Nile Fever / prevention & control*
West Nile Fever / virology
West Nile virus / immunology*

Substances

Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta
Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta
Interferon-gamma