| First Author | Shi C | Year | 2011 |
| Journal | Infect Immun | Volume | 79 |
| Issue | 10 | Pages | 3940-6 |
| PubMed ID | 21768278 | Mgi Jnum | J:176030 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:5288138 | Doi | 10.1128/IAI.00148-11 |
| Citation | Shi C, et al. (2011) Reduced Immune Response to Borrelia burgdorferi in the Absence of {gamma}{delta} T Cells. Infect Immun 79(10):3940-6 |
| abstractText | Little is known regarding the function of gammadelta T cells, although they accumulate at sites of inflammation in infections and autoimmune disorders. We previously observed that gammadelta T cells in vitro are activated by Borrelia burgdorferi in a TLR2-dependent manner. We now observe that the activated gammadelta T cells can in turn stimulate dendritic cells in vitro to produce cytokines and chemokines that are important for the adaptive immune response. This suggested that in vivo gammadelta T cells may assist in activating the adaptive immune response. We examined this possibility in vivo and observed that gammadelta T cells are activated and expand in number during Borrelia infection, and this was reduced in the absence of TLR2. Furthermore, in the absence of gammadelta T cells, there was a significantly blunted response of adaptive immunity, as reflected in reduced expansion of T and B cells and reduced serum levels of anti-Borrelia antibodies, cytokines, and chemokines. This paralleled a greater Borrelia burden in gammadelta-deficient mice as well as more cardiac inflammation. These findings are consistent with a model of gammadelta T cells functioning to promote the adaptive immune response during infection. |
