Contribution of Thy1+ NK cells to protective IFN-? production during Salmonella typhimurium infections.
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ABSTRACT: IFN-? is critical for immunity against infections with intracellular pathogens, such as Salmonella enterica. However, which of the many cell types capable of producing IFN-? controls Salmonella infections remains unclear. Using a mouse model of systemic Salmonella infection, we observed that only a lack of all lymphocytes or CD90 (Thy1)(+) cells, but not the absence of T cells, Retinoic acid-related orphan receptor (ROR)-?t-dependent lymphocytes, (NK)1.1(+) cells, natural killer T (NKT), and/or B cells alone, replicated the highly susceptible phenotype of IFN-?-deficient mice to Salmonella infection. A combination of antibody depletions and adoptive transfer experiments revealed that early protective IFN-? was provided by Thy1-expressing natural killer (NK) cells and that these cells improved antibacterial immunity through the provision of IFN-?. Further analysis of NK cells producing IFN-? in response to Salmonella indicated that less mature NK cells were more efficient at mediating antibacterial effector function than terminally differentiated NK cells. Inspired by recent reports of Thy1(+) NK cells contributing to immune memory, we analyzed their role in secondary protection against otherwise lethal WT Salmonella infections. Notably, we observed that a newly generated Salmonella vaccine strain not only conferred superior protection compared with conventional regimens but that this enhanced efficiency of recall immunity was afforded by incorporating CD4(-)CD8(-)Thy1(+) cells into the secondary response. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that Thy1-expressing NK cells play an important role in antibacterial immunity.
SUBMITTER: Kupz A
PROVIDER: S-EPMC3568339 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Feb
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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