Immunological adjuvants promote activated T cell survival via induction of Bcl-3

Nat Immunol. 2001 May;2(5):397-402. doi: 10.1038/87692.

Abstract

Injection of soluble protein antigen into animals causes abortive proliferation of the responding T cells. Immunological adjuvants boost T cell responses at least in part by increasing the survival of activated T cells during and after the initial proliferative phase of their clonal expansion. To understand how adjuvants promote T cell survival, we used gene microarrays to analyze gene expression in T cells activated either with antigen alone or in the presence of two different adjuvants. Among the genes whose expression was increased by both adjuvants was the IkappaB family member Bcl-3. Retroviral infection experiments showed that expression of Bcl-3 increased survival of activated T cells in vitro and in vivo. Adjuvants may therefore improve survival of activated T cells via induction of Bcl-3.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic*
  • Animals
  • B-Cell Lymphoma 3 Protein
  • Cell Death
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Lipopolysaccharides / immunology
  • Lymphocyte Activation*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / biosynthesis*
  • T-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Transcription Factors
  • Vaccinia virus / immunology

Substances

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic
  • B-Cell Lymphoma 3 Protein
  • Bcl3 protein, mouse
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Transcription Factors

Associated data

  • GENBANK/AF067774