This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Vesosky, B.
Right arrow Articles by Turner, J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Vesosky, B.
Right arrow Articles by Turner, J.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Infection and Immunity, June 2006, p. 3314-3324, Vol. 74, No. 6
0019-9567/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/IAI.01475-05
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Th1 Cytokines Facilitate CD8-T-Cell-Mediated Early Resistance to Infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Old Mice

Bridget Vesosky,* David K. Flaherty, and Joanne Turner

Center for Microbial Interface Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

Received 8 September 2005/ Returned for modification 28 November 2005/ Accepted 1 March 2006

Numerous immunological defects begin to emerge as an individual ages, the consequence of which is heightened susceptibility to infectious diseases. Despite this decline in immune function, old mice display an early transient resistance to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in the lung, which is dependent on CD8 T cells and gamma interferon (IFN-{gamma}) production. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of resistance by examining the CD8-T-cell phenotype and function in old naïve and M. tuberculosis-infected mice. Pulmonary CD8 T cells from naïve old mice expressed cell surface markers of memory in addition to receptors for several Th1 cytokines. Stimulation of lung cells from naïve old mice with a combination of Th1 cytokines (interleukin-2 [IL-2], IL-12, and IL-18) resulted in nonspecific production of IFN-{gamma} by memory CD8 T cells. Following aerosol infection with M. tuberculosis, the lungs of old mice contained significantly more IL-12, IL-18, and IFN-{gamma} than the lungs of young mice contained. Together, these data demonstrate that the increased and early production of Th1 cytokines in the lungs of M. tuberculosis-infected old mice, in combination with CD8 T cells that can nonspecifically produce IFN-{gamma}, leads to transient control of M. tuberculosis growth in the lungs of old mice. Further characterization of this mechanism should provide essential information regarding the aging immune system and should contribute to the development of novel strategies to decrease the morbidity and mortality of the aging population associated with infectious diseases.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: The Ohio State University, 420 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210. Phone: (614) 292-9851. Fax: (614) 292-9616. E-mail: bridget.vesosky{at}osumc.edu.

Editor: J. L. Flynn

Infection and Immunity, June 2006, p. 3314-3324, Vol. 74, No. 6
0019-9567/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/IAI.01475-05
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Camuset, G., Lefebvre, N., Christmann, D., Forestier, E., Faure, B., Boileau, J., Chenard, M. P., Hansmann, Y. (2009). Disseminated bacille Calmette-Guerin infection in two patients with CD8+ T-cell lymphopenia. Eur Respir J 34: 1199-1201 [Full Text]  
  • Vesosky, B., Rottinghaus, E. K., Davis, C., Turner, J. (2009). CD8 T Cells in Old Mice Contribute to the Innate Immune Response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis via Interleukin-12p70-Dependent and Antigen-Independent Production of Gamma Interferon. Infect. Immun. 77: 3355-3363 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Beamer, G. L., Flaherty, D. K., Assogba, B. D., Stromberg, P., Gonzalez-Juarrero, M., de Waal Malefyt, R., Vesosky, B., Turner, J. (2008). Interleukin-10 Promotes Mycobacterium tuberculosis Disease Progression in CBA/J Mice. J. Immunol. 181: 5545-5550 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»