Allister J. Smyth's research while affiliated with Queen's University Belfast and other places

WC1+ γδ T cells of Mycobacterium bovis-infected cattle are highly responsive to M. bovis sonic extract (MBSE). In mycobacterial infections of other species, γδ T cells have been shown to respond to protein and nonprotein antigens, but the bovine WC1+ γδ T-cell antigenic targets within MBSE require further definition in terms of the dominance of protein versus nonprotein components. The present study sought to characterize the WC1+ γδ T-cell antigenic targets, together with the role of interleukin-2 (IL-2), in the context of M. bovis infection. This was achieved by testing crude and defined antigens to assess protein versus nonprotein recognition by WC1+ γδ T cells in comparison with CD4+ αβ T cells. Both cell types proliferated strongly in response to MBSE, with CD4+ T cells being the major producers of gamma interferon (IFN-γ). However, enzymatic digestion of the protein in MBSE removed its ability to stimulate CD4+ T-cell responses, whereas some WC1+ γδ T-cell proliferation remained. The most antigenic protein inducing proliferation and IFN-γ secretion in WC1+ γδ T-cell cultures was found to be ESAT-6, which is a potential novel diagnostic reagent and vaccine candidate. In addition, WC1+ γδ T-cell proliferation was observed in response to stimulation with prenyl pyrophosphate antigens (isopentenyl pyrophosphate and monomethyl phosphate). High levels of cellular activation (CD25 expression) resulted from MBSE stimulation of WC1+ γδ T cells from infected animals. A similar degree of activation was induced by IL-2 alone, but for WC1+ γδ T-cell division IL-2 was found to act only as a costimulatory signal, enhancing antigen-driven responses. Overall, the data indicate that protein antigens are important stimulators of WC1+ γδ T-cell proliferation and IFN-γ secretion in M. bovis infection, with nonprotein antigens inducing significant proliferation. These findings have important implications for diagnostic and vaccine development.

It is generally accepted that protective immunity against tuberculosis is generated through the cell-mediated immune (CMI) system, and a greater understanding of such responses is required if better vaccines and diagnostic tests are to be developed. gammadelta T cells form a major proportion of the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in the ruminant system and, considering data from other species, may have a significant role in CMI responses in bovine tuberculosis. This study compared the in vitro responses of alphabeta and gammadelta T cells from Mycobacterium bovis-infected and uninfected cattle. The results showed that, following 24 h of culture of PBMC with M. bovis-derived antigens, the majority of gammadelta T cells from infected animals became highly activated (upregulation of interleukin-2R), while a lower proportion of the alphabeta T-cell population showed activation. Similar responses were evident to a lesser degree in uninfected animals. Study of the kinetics of this response showed that gammadelta T cells remained significantly activated for at least 7 days in culture, while activation of alphabeta T cells declined during that period. Subsequent analysis revealed that the majority of activated gammadelta T cells expressed WC1, a 215-kDa surface molecule which is not expressed on human or murine gammadelta T cells. Furthermore, in comparison with what was found for CD4(+) T cells, M. bovis antigen was found to induce strong cellular proliferation but relatively little gamma interferon release by purified WC1(+) gammadelta T cells. Overall, while the role of these cells in protective immunity remains unclear, their highly activated status in response to M. bovis suggests an important role in antimycobacterial immunity, and the ability of gammadelta T cells to influence other immune cell functions remains to be elucidated, particularly in relation to CMI-based diagnostic tests.