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Infection and Immunity, March 2006, p. 1528-1536, Vol. 74, No. 3
0019-9567/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/IAI.74.3.1528-1536.2006
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

The Onset of CD8⁺-T-Cell Contraction Is Influenced by the Peak of Listeria monocytogenes Infection and Antigen Display

Interdisciplinary Program in Immunology,¹ Department of Microbiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242²

Received 6 August 2005/ Returned for modification 22 September 2005/ Accepted 14 December 2005

The CD8⁺-T-cell response to infection with Listeria monocytogenes consists of expansion, contraction, and memory phases. The transition between expansion and contraction is reported to occur on different days postinfection with virulent (8 to 9 days) and attenuated (actA) (7 days) L. monocytogenes strains. We hypothesized that differences in the infectious courses, and therefore antigen (Ag) display, determine the precise time of the expansion/contraction transition in response to these infections. To test this, we infected BALB/c mice with 0.1 50% lethal dose of actA or virulent L. monocytogenes and measured bacterial numbers, Ag display, and Ag-specific CD8⁺-T-cell responses on various days after infection. We found that bacterial numbers and Ag display peaked between 12 and 36 h and between 36 and 60 h after infection with actA and virulent L. monocytogenes strains, respectively. Infection with actA L. monocytogenes resulted in a sharp peak in the Ag-specific CD8⁺-T-cell response on day 7, while infection with virulent L. monocytogenes yielded a prolonged peak with equivalent numbers of Ag-specific CD8⁺ T cells on days 6, 7, and 8 after infection. Truncating virulent infection with antibiotics on day 1 or 2 after infection resulted in a shift in the expansion/contraction transition from day 8 to day 7 after infection. However, antibiotic treatment beginning on day 3, after the peak of virulent L. monocytogenes infection and Ag display, had no effect upon the magnitude or timing of the CD8⁺-T-cell response. These results demonstrate a direct relationship between the course of infection and Ag display and that the timing of these events is important in shaping the T-cell response to infection.

Editor: J. L. Flynn

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