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T cell subset involvement in immune responses to Fasciola hepatica infection in cattle
Author(s) -
McCOLE D.F.,
DOHERTY M.L.,
BAIRD A.W.,
DAVIES W.C.,
McGILL K.,
TORGERSON P.R.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
parasite immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.795
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1365-3024
pISSN - 0141-9838
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-3024.1999.00188.x
Subject(s) - fasciola hepatica , biology , immune system , hepatica , immunology , antigen , cd8 , t cell , lymphocyte , t lymphocyte , helminths
The lymphocyte response to F. hepatica during a primary infection in cattle was analysed to define the role of T cell subsets in the immune response. Blood lymphocytes were isolated from eight cattle infected with F. hepatica via trickle infection over a ten‐day period and from two non‐infected controls. CD4 + , CD8 + and γδ + T cells were depleted from whole lymphocyte populations by magnetic bead depletion. Lymphocytes from infected animals demonstrated a transient, but marked elevation in responsiveness to F. hepatica antigen between weeks 3 and 8 post‐infection. Responses were attenuated by depletion of CD4 + and CD8 + T cells during this period. Depletion of γδ + T cells attenuated antigen responses at one time point only, and at an earlier stage post‐infection than when αβ + T cells were depleted. Responses to antigen correlated positively with both hepatic fluke burden and with the degree of hepatic damage. This suggests that the cellular immune response was not protective. Antigen responses in γδ + T cell‐depleted populations were also associated with post‐mortem fluke burden and with hepatic damage. This suggests that γδ + T cells are involved in down regulating αβ + lymphocytes which may have a role in a non‐protective or immunopathological immune responses.