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[BCG-induced T cell anergy and its activation by IL-4]
Y Nishioka1, K Nakanishi, M Sugita
15th Department of Internal Medicine, Hyogo College of Medicine.
Arerugi = [Allergy]
|July 10, 1998
Summary
Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) infection alters mouse splenocyte responses. Interleukin-4 (IL-4) protects against BCG-induced T cell anergy and apoptosis in BALB/c mice, but not C57BL/6 mice.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Microbiology
- Cell Biology
Context:
- Splenocytes from C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice exhibit distinct cytokine production profiles (IFN-gamma and IL-4, respectively) upon anti-CD3 antibody stimulation.
- Both mouse strains show similar T cell proliferation responses to Concanavalin A (ConA) stimulation prior to infection.
Purpose:
- To investigate the impact of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) inoculation on splenocyte function, including cytokine production and proliferation capacity, in C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice.
- To elucidate the role of Interleukin-4 (IL-4) in overcoming T cell anergy induced by BCG infection.
Summary:
- BCG inoculation at 4 weeks post-infection led to diminished IL-4 production and T cell anergy/apoptosis in response to anti-CD3 and ConA stimulation in both mouse strains.
- At 12 weeks post-infection, C57BL/6 splenocytes remained unresponsive to ConA, while BALB/c splenocytes recovered proliferation, correlating with a shift towards a Th2-dominant immune response.
- IL-4 supplementation restored ConA responsiveness in BCG-infected BALB/c splenocytes, preventing apoptosis, but had no protective effect on C57BL/6 splenocytes.
Impact:
- Demonstrates strain-specific differences in immune response modulation following BCG infection.
- Highlights the critical role of IL-4 in mitigating T cell anergy and apoptosis, particularly in BALB/c mice, suggesting a potential therapeutic target for immune modulation.