ovalbumin and Lymphoproliferative-Disorders

Fas death pathway is important for lymphocyte homeostasis, but the role of Fas pathway in T cell memory development is not clear. We show that whereas the expansion and contraction of CD8+ T cell response against Listeria monocytogenes were similar for wild-type (WT) and Fas ligand (FasL) mutant mice, the majority of memory CD8+ T cells in FasL mutant mice displayed an effector memory phenotype in the long-term in comparison with the mainly central memory phenotype displayed by memory CD8+ T cells in WT mice. Memory CD8+ T cells in FasL mutant mice expressed reduced levels of IFN-gamma and displayed poor homeostatic and Ag-induced proliferation. Impairment in CD8+ T cell memory in FasL mutant hosts was not due to defective programming or the expression of mutant FasL on CD8+ T cells, but was caused by perturbed cytokine environment in FasL mutant mice. Although adoptively transferred WT memory CD8+ T cells mediated protection against L. monocytogenes in either the WT or FasL mutant hosts, FasL mutant memory CD8+ T cells failed to mediate protection even in WT hosts. Thus, in individuals with mutation in Fas pathway, impairment in the function of the memory CD8+ T cells may increase their susceptibility to recurrent/latent infections.

Topics: Animals; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; Fas Ligand Protein; fas Receptor; Female; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Immunologic Memory; Immunophenotyping; Listeriosis; Lymphoproliferative Disorders; Mice; Mice, Inbred MRL lpr; Mice, Mutant Strains; Mice, Transgenic; Mutation; Ovalbumin; Recurrence

The scurfy (sf) murine mutation causes severe lymphoproliferation, which results in death of hemizygous males (sf/Y) by 22 to 26 days of age. The CD4+ T cells are crucial mediators of this disease. Recent publications have not only identified this mutation as the genetic equivalent of the human disease X-linked neonatal diabetes mellitus, enteropathy, and endocrinopathy syndrome, but also have indicated that the defective protein-scurfin-is a new forkhead/winged-helix protein with a frameshift mutation, resulting in a product without the functional forkhead. These results have lead to speculation that the scurfy gene acts by disrupting the T-cell tolerance mechanism, resulting in hyperresponsiveness and lack of down-regulation. The Rag1KO/sf/Y OVA strain, with virtually 100% of its CD4+ T cells reactive strictly to ovalbumin (OVA) peptide 323-339, is an excellent model for determination of the sf mutation's ability to disrupt tolerance. We hypothesized that Rag1KO/sf/OVA mice would not be tolerant to antigen at a dose that tolerizes control animals. We found that splenic cells from Rag1KO/sf/Y OVA mice injected with the same dose of OVA peptide that induces tolerance in cells from control mice proliferate in vitro in response to OVA peptide. These results are consistent with a defect in the pathway responsible for peripheral T-cell tolerization.

Topics: Abatacept; Animals; Antigens, CD; Antigens, Differentiation; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; CTLA-4 Antigen; Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; Female; Flow Cytometry; Genes, RAG-1; Homeodomain Proteins; Immune Tolerance; Immunoconjugates; Lymphoproliferative Disorders; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Mice, Knockout; Mice, Transgenic; Mutation; Ovalbumin; Spleen

The scurfy (sf) murine mutation results in a rapidly fatal lymphoproliferative disease, causing death by 26 days. Mature CD4+ T cells which tested hyperresponsive to T cell receptor (TCR) stimulation are involved. When sf was bred onto a transgenic line (DO11.10) in which 75 - 95 % of the T cells express TCR for ovalbumin (OVA) 323 - 339, sf / Y OVA mice had prolonged lifespans and less severe clinical symptoms compared to controls. However, sf / Y OVA mice eventually developed disease and died with manifestations similar to those of the original sf strain. The Rag1 knockout (KO) mouse, which cannot produce mature T (or B) cells without the addition of functional transgenes, was chosen for further breeding. The combination of Rag1 KO, the OVA transgene, and sf produced mice with 100 % of their mature DO11.10 alpha beta T cells reactive strictly to OVA peptide. None of these Rag1 - / - sf / Y OVA mice developed the scurfy disease. They retained central deletion capability in vivo, but demonstrated an altered in vitro response to OVA peptide. These results indicate that mice without TCR for endogenous antigens do not develop scurfy symptoms, and are consistent with the hypothesis that the sf mutation requires antigen stimulation to manifest disease, perhaps via altered TCR sensitivity.

Topics: Abatacept; Animals; Antigens, CD; Antigens, Differentiation; CTLA-4 Antigen; Female; Flow Cytometry; Homeodomain Proteins; Immunoconjugates; Immunophenotyping; Lymphoproliferative Disorders; Mice; Mice, Knockout; Mutation; Ovalbumin; T-Lymphocytes

In asthma, persistent inflammation might be the result of (1) an impaired ability to clear inflammatory cells from the airways and/or (2) impaired apoptotic responses.. In a mouse model, we investigated the regulatory role of Fas (CD95)-induced apoptosis in the development and resolution of airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR).. Mice that were either Fas-sufficient (wild-type; WT) or Fas-deficient (lpr ) were sensitized by intraperitoneal injections of ovalbumin (OVA) and challenged once intranasally with OVA (IP-IN mice). Control (IN) mice were challenged only.. IP-IN WT mice developed AHR at 48 hours; changes in airway resistance resolved by 96 hours. Airway responsiveness at 48 hours in IP-IN lpr mice was similar to that in IP-IN WT mice. However, in contrast to WT mice, IP-IN lpr mice sustained significant AHR at 96 hours in comparison with IN lpr mice; the AHR resolved by 6 days. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cell composition was similar in all of the different groups at 48 hours and 96 hours. Both IP-IN WT mice and lpr mice exhibited similar tissue eosinophilia, whereas IP-IN lpr mice had significantly lower numbers of TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL)-positive cells in comparison with IP-IN WT mice at 48 hours. Anti-IL-5 antibody given to IP-IN lpr mice 48 hours and 72 hours after the challenge significantly decreased AHR and eosinophilic inflammation and increased TUNEL-positive cell numbers at 96 hours.. These results suggest that Fas expression can regulate the onset and resolution of AHR through an increase in eosinophil apoptosis.

Topics: Allergens; Animals; Apoptosis; fas Receptor; Interleukin-5; Lymphoproliferative Disorders; Mice; Mice, Mutant Strains; Nasal Provocation Tests; Ovalbumin; Respiratory Hypersensitivity