Induction of CD1-restricted immune responses in guinea pigs by immunization with mycobacterial lipid antigens

J Immunol. 2002 Jul 1;169(1):330-9. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.169.1.330.

Abstract

Group 1 CD1 molecules have been shown to present lipid and glycolipid Ags of mycobacteria to human T cells. However, a suitable animal model for the investigation of this component of antimycobacterial immunity has not yet been established. Previously, we found that guinea pigs express multiple isoforms of group 1 CD1 proteins that are homologous to human CD1b and CD1c. In this study, we show that CD1-restricted T cell responses can be generated in guinea pigs following immunization with lipid Ags from Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Splenic T cells from lipid Ag-immunized guinea pigs showed strong proliferative responses to total lipid Ags and partially purified glycolipid fractions from M. tuberculosis. These lipid Ag-reactive T cells were enriched in CD4-negative T cell fractions and showed cytotoxic activity against CD1-expressing guinea pig bone marrow-derived dendritic cells pulsed with M. tuberculosis lipid Ags. Using guinea pig cell lines transfected with individual CD1 isoforms as target cells in cytotoxic T cell assays, we found that guinea pig CD1b and CD1c molecules presented M. tuberculosis glycolipid Ags to T cells raised by mycobacterial lipid immunization. These results were confirmed using a T cell line derived from M. tuberculosis lipid Ag-immunized guinea pigs, which also showed CD1-restricted responses and cytolytic activity. Our results demonstrate that CD1-restricted responses against microbial glycolipid Ags can be generated in vivo by specific immunization and provide support for the use of the guinea pig as a relevant small animal model for the study of CD1-restricted immune responses to mycobacterial pathogens.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, Bacterial / administration & dosage*
  • Antigens, Bacterial / immunology*
  • Antigens, CD1 / immunology*
  • Bone Marrow Cells / immunology
  • Bone Marrow Transplantation
  • Cell Culture Techniques / methods
  • Cell Line
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology
  • Dendritic Cells / transplantation
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / immunology
  • Female
  • Guinea Pigs
  • Immunization
  • Immunophenotyping
  • Injections, Subcutaneous
  • Lipids / administration & dosage*
  • Lipids / immunology*
  • Lymphocyte Activation / immunology
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / immunology

Substances

  • Antigens, Bacterial
  • Antigens, CD1
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte
  • Lipids