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Recognition of Histoplasma capsulatum yeast‐cell antigens by human lymphocytes and human T‐cell clones
Author(s) -
Henderson Harold M.,
Deepe George S.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of leukocyte biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.819
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1938-3673
pISSN - 0741-5400
DOI - 10.1002/jlb.51.5.432
Subject(s) - biology , antigen , histoplasma , peripheral blood mononuclear cell , blastomyces dermatitidis , cell , t cell , microbiology and biotechnology , immune system , blastomyces , in vitro , immunology , blastomycosis , biochemistry , histoplasmosis , histoplasma capsulatum
We have prepared a detergent extract from the cell wall and cell membrane of Histoplasma capsulatum yeast cells that is recognized by T cells from mice immunized with viable organisms or with the extract. A 62‐kd antigen from this extract has been isolated and has been shown to be antigenic and to confer protective immunity in mice. In this study, we examined the in vitro proliferative response by human lymphocytes and human T‐cell clones to both the extract from the cell wall and cell membrane and the 62‐kd antigen, termed HIS‐62. Seven healthy individuals were identified whose peripheral blood mononuclear cells responded to the cell wall and cell membrane extract from H. capsulatum yeast cells. Mononuclear cells from all seven individuals recognized histoplasmin. T‐cell clones were generated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells from a single person using the extract from cell wall and cell membrane as the antigenic preparation. Nineteen clones were propagated; all expressed the surface phenotype CD3 + , CD4 + , T‐cell receptor α/β + . The clones were antigen‐specific. Of 17 clones studied, none responded to extracts from Blastomyces dermatitidis or Coccidioides immitis or to tetanus toxoid. Sixteen of 19 clones recognized HIS‐62 in vitro. Additional analysis revealed that cells from each of the seven individuals who responded to the extract mounted a proliferative response to HIS‐62. Thus, the extract from the cell wall and cell membrane and HIS‐62 are targets of the human cell‐mediated immune response to H. capsulatum. Moreover, HIS‐62 appears to be an immunodominant antigen.