T cell-related memory

Immunological memory is embodied in the rapid and enhanced immune responsiveness to antigens that have been previously encountered. In this work we have analyzed the development of humoral immunological memory to a conventional antigen (TNP-BSA) and a superantigen (staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) in T cell-reconstituted athymic or euthymic mice. It was demonstrated that T cell reconstituded athymic mice, which lack recent thymic emigrants, mount a primary response to a T cell dependent antigen, but do not develop memory or the capacity to produce specific anti-TNP IgG1 antibodies during the secondary immune response. On the other hand, if thymocytes were continously provided during the secondary response a typical memory response was achieved, with the presence of high levels of specific IgG1. In addition, we have shown that immunization of mice with staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) resulted in a detectable anti-SEB antibody response, which was further increased upon boosting. The typical secondary response do SEB was mainly composed of IgG1, thus suggesting the involvement of interleukin-4 (IL-4)-producing T cells. These results led us to propose that the development of humoral immunological memory can not be solely explained by the long lifespan of primed T lymphocytes, and a novel dynamic and systemic hypothesis is given to explain memory development.

Coevolution of hosts and microorganisms: an analysis of the involvment of cytokines in host-parasite interactions

Parasites may employ particular strategies of eluding an immune response by taking advantage of those mechanisms that normally guarantee immunological self-tolerance. Much in the way as it occurs during the establishment of self-tolerance, live pathogens may induce clonal deletion, functional inactivation(anergy) and immunosupression. At this latter level, it appears that certain pathogens produce immunosupresive cytokine-like mediators or provoke like host the secrete cytokines that will compromise the anti-parasite immune response. It appears that immune responses that preferentially involve T helper l cells (secretors of interleukin-2-and interferon-y) tend to be protective, whereas T helper 2 cells (secretors of IL-4, IL5, IL-6, and IL-10), a population that antagonizes T helper cells, mediate disease susceptibility and are immunopathological reactions. Cytokines produced by T helper 2 cells mediate many symptoms of infection, including eosinophilia, mastocytosis, hyperimmunoglobulinemia, and elevated IgE levels. Administration of IL-2 and IFN-y has beneficial effects in many infections mediated by viruses, bacteria, and protozoa. The use of live vaccinia virus might be an avenue for the treatment of or vaccination against infection. We have found that a vaccinia virus expressing the gene for human IL-2, though attenuated, precipitates autoimmune disease in immunodeficient athymic mice. Thus, although T helper l cytokines may have desired immunostimulatory properties, they also may lead to unwarranted autoaggressive responses