Published online before print August 4, 2005
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* Experimental Laboratory Medicine, Department of Molecular Cell Biology, and Laboratories of
Experimental Immunology, Department of Pathophysiology,
Experimental Medicine and Endocrinology (LEGENDO), and
¶ Experimental Transplantation, Faculty of Medicine, Catholic University Leuven, Belgium; and
Bioceros, B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands
1Correspondence: Experimental Laboratory Medicine, Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Catholic University Leuven, U.Z. Gasthuisberg, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. E-mail: Xavier.bossuyt{at}uz.kuleuven.ac.be
The capsular polysaccharides (caps-PS) of Streptococcus pneumoniae are classified as thymus-independent antigens. Nevertheless, T lymphocytes can modulate the antibody response to caps-PS. In this study, we show that anticytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) treatment, along with administration of caps-PS to BALB/c mice, resulted in a dose-dependent generation of a strong caps-PS-specific antibody response. Anti-CTLA-4 treatment had no effect on the immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody production in athymic nu/nu mice. Anti-CTLA-4 treatment stimulated the IgG antibody production in severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID)/SCID mice reconstituted with CTLA-4/ B lymphocytes and wild-type T lymphocytes. This excluded the possibility that anti-CTLA-4 enhanced antibody production by direct interaction with B lymphocytes. Anti-CTLA-4 treatment enhanced the antibody production in SCID/SCID mice reconstituted with B lymphocytes and CD4(+) and CD8(+) T lymphocytes but not in SCID/SCID mice reconstituted with B lymphocytes in the absence of CD4(+) and/or CD8(+) cells. Administration of anti-CTLA-4 in BALB/c mice but not in nu/nu mice resulted in a markedly increased production of interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, and interferon-
. Taken together, these data strongly suggest a role of T lymphocytes and CTLA-4 in the regulation of the antibody response to caps-PS.
Key Words: Streptococcus pneumoniae T lymphocytes
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