Changes in peritoneal myeloid populations and their proinflammatory cytokine expression during infection with Listeria monocytogenes are altered in the absence of gamma/delta T cells

J Leukoc Biol. 2004 Jul;76(1):104-15. doi: 10.1189/jlb.1103574. Epub 2004 Apr 23.

Abstract

Evidence that gamma/delta T cells play a broad, immunoregulatory role has been accumulating steadily. We show here that myeloid cells are disregulated after peritoneal infection with Listeria monocytogenes in mice lacking gamma/delta T cells. Inflammatory populations of neutrophils and monocytes recruited to the site of infection remained longer. Intracellular cytokine analysis showed that frequencies of myeloid cells producing interleukin-12 and tumor necrosis factor alpha were higher and remained elevated longer after infection in mice genetically deficient in gamma/delta T cells. In vivo dye-tracking studies indicated that the majority of inflammatory monocytes differentiated into resident tissue macrophages in situ. In vitro experiments confirmed that monocytes harvested from mice lacking gamma/delta T cells were defective in their maturation process. This evidence suggests that gamma/delta T cells promote differentiation in the monocyte/macrophage lineage. These cells are important for bactericidal activity, inflammatory cytokine production, clearance of inflammatory neutrophils, and ultimately, antigen presentation to T cells. Regulation of monocyte/macrophage differentiation may underlie a broad segment of the phenotypic alterations that have been reported in mice lacking gamma/delta T cells.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Differentiation / immunology
  • Cell Movement / immunology
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cytokines / biosynthesis*
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Intracellular Fluid / chemistry
  • Listeria monocytogenes / immunology
  • Listeriosis / immunology*
  • Macrophage Activation / immunology
  • Mice
  • Myeloid Cells / cytology
  • Myeloid Cells / immunology*
  • Peritoneal Cavity / cytology*
  • Peritoneal Cavity / physiology
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / deficiency*
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta