Phenotypic characterization of splenic T cells from mice infected with Plasmodium chabaudi chabaudi

• Published in: Scandinavian journal of immunology Vol. 38; no. 6; p. 521
• Main Authors: Langhorne, J, Pells, S, Eichmann, K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01-12-1993
• Subjects: Animals; Antigens, CD - analysis; Antigens, Protozoan - immunology; Antigens, Surface - immunology; Cells, Cultured; Female; Immunophenotyping; Lymphocyte Activation - immunology; Lymphocyte Subsets - immunology; Malaria - immunology; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Inbred DBA; Plasmodium chabaudi - immunology; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta - analysis; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta - analysis; Spleen - immunology; T-Lymphocytes - immunology
• ISSN: 0300-9475
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3083.1993.tb03235.x

T cells from spleens of mice infected with the erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium chabaudi chabaudi have been analysed with respect to their expression of surface molecules CD3, CD4 and CD8 and T-cell receptor (TCR) alpha beta and gamma delta. The majority of T cells from infected mice were alpha beta TCR+. However, there was an increase of approximately 8-10-fold in the proportion and total number of gamma delta T cells. Immunocytochemical analysis of sections of spleens taken from infected C57BL/6 mice during a primary infection showed that this increase took place particularly in the non-lymphoid areas. Within the alpha beta TCR+ T-cell population, both CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells were represented in proportions similar to those observed in normal uninfected mice. Stimulation of splenic T cells from infected mice with P. chabaudi-infected erythrocytes in vitro resulted in a blasted cell population composed predominantly of alpha beta TCR+ T cells with no preferential expansion of gamma delta TCR+ T cells. There was no evidence of superantigen-like stimulation of T cells bearing particular V beta chains of the TCR. The representation of the different V beta chains within the population was not significantly different from that seen in uninfected mice.