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Cloned T cells provide help for malaria-specific polyclonal antibody responses
J P Goldring1, D A Brake, L A Cavacini
1Department of Microbiology, Hahnemann University, Philadelphia, PA 19102-1192.
European Journal of Immunology
|March 1, 1989
Summary
Athymic mice receiving cloned T cells produced antibodies against Plasmodium chabaudi adami, similar to infected normal mice. This indicates T cell help for B cells in malaria is complex and not easily determined by antibody specificity.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Parasitology
- Malaria Research
Background:
- Athymic (nude) mice lack functional T cells, making them valuable models for studying T cell-dependent immune responses.
- Plasmodium chabaudi adami is a malaria parasite that elicits a T cell-dependent antibody response in mice.
- Understanding T cell help for B cell activation is crucial for developing effective malaria vaccines and therapies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of T cells in antibody production against Plasmodium chabaudi adami.
- To determine if cloned T cells can provide sufficient help to B cells for a comprehensive antibody response against multiple parasite antigens.
- To assess the feasibility of using antibody specificities to infer the antigenic targets of cloned T cell populations in malaria.
Main Methods:
- Athymic mice were grafted with antigen-reactive cloned T cells.
- Mice were subsequently challenged with Plasmodium chabaudi adami.
- Antibody responses against multiple parasite antigens were analyzed.
- Antibody reactivities were compared between experimental groups and infected euthymic mice.
Main Results:
- Mice grafted with cloned T cells and infected with P. chabaudi adami produced antibodies against multiple parasite antigens.
- The observed antibody reactivities were comparable to those found in infected euthymic (normal) mice.
- In contrast, infected athymic mice that did not receive cloned T cells showed no significant antibody response.
- The antibody repertoire was broad, suggesting T cell help was not restricted to a narrow set of B cell populations.
Conclusions:
- Cloned T cells can provide effective help to B lymphocytes, leading to the production of antibodies against multiple Plasmodium chabaudi adami antigens.
- The broad antibody response observed indicates that T cell help in this malaria model is not limited to a narrowly defined set of B cell specificities.
- It is not feasible to determine the precise antigenic specificity of cloned T cell populations solely by analyzing the antibody repertoire they help generate in the context of P. chabaudi adami infection.