Immunization with Theileria parva parasites from buffaloes results in generation of cytotoxic T cells which recognize antigens common among cells infected with stocks of T. parva parva, T. parva bovis, and T. parva lawrencei.

Immunity to infection by the protozoan parasite Theileria parva in cattle is partially attributable to cytotoxic T cells, which kill lymphocytes infected with the schizont stage of the parasite. Here we evaluated five stocks of buffalo-derived T. parva lawrencei parasites and two stocks of cattle-derived T. parva parva parasites for their ability to induce in vivo cytotoxic T cells which can kill lymphocytes infected with a wide variety of strains of T. parva parasites. A group of seven full-sibling cattle, produced by embryo transfer and matched for at least one major histocompatibility complex class I haplotype, were immunized by infection and treatment with the parasite stocks. Target cells used in in vitro cytotoxicity assays were infected with five buffalo-derived parasite stocks and five cattle-derived parasite stocks, including T. parva parva and T. parva bovis. Immunization with any of the seven parasite stocks resulted in the generation of cytotoxic T cells which recognized parasite antigens on most if not all of the target cell lines tested, although the T. parva bovis stock was the least effective at doing so. Further in-depth analyses performed with peripheral blood mononuclear cells from one of the cattle immunized with T. parva lawrencei parasites showed that the pattern of killing of the panel of target cells was altered when either cells infected with different parasite stocks or clones of infected cells were used as stimulator cells in vitro, suggesting the presence of more than one population of parasite-specific cytotoxic effector cells in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells. However, clones of these cytotoxic effector cells recognized common or cross-reactive antigen epitopes expressed by the entire panel of infected target cells. These T-cell clones will be useful for identifying common T-cell antigen epitopes of T. parva and the parasite genes encoding them.     

Immune responses of cattle to Theileria parva (East Coast fever): specificity of cytotoxic cells generated in vivo and in vitro.

Examination of the specificity of cytotoxicity generated in vitro and in vivo against infected bovine lymphoblasts revealed that cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) obtained from cattle immune to Theileria parva recognized parasite-induced alterations associated with major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens on the membrane of infected autologous cells. By comparison, cytotoxicity generated in vitro in an autologous Theilerial-lymphocyte culture (AuTLC) contained both CTL and activity akin to that of natural-killer (NK) cells. The addition to the AuTLC of 2 inhibitors of glycosylation, tunicamycin (Tun) and 2-desoxy-D-glucose (2-DOG) abolished both the proliferative response and the generation of cytotoxicity. While the addition of Tun or 2-DOG in conventional cell-mediated lympholysis (CML) assays did not modify the effector function of cytotoxic cells, pretreatment of target cells with either compound prevented lysis by CTL, but not by NK cells. Although parasite-induced antigens have not been purified from infected bovine lymphoblasts, the present study indicated that these are likely to be glycoprotein or carbohydrate in character, and that their recognition on autologous cells is a consistent feature of CTL from immune cattle.     

Comparative analysis of infection and transformation of lymphocytes from African buffalo and Boran cattle with Theileria parva subsp. parva and T. parva subsp. lawrencei.

This study compared infection and transformation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBM) of Boran cattle and African buffalo in vitro to determine whether differences occurred which could account for the greater susceptibility of Boran cattle to infection with Theileria parva subsp. parva and T. parva subsp. lawrencei. PBM from buffalo and cattle had a similar percentage of cells which bound T. parva subsp. parva sporozoites (24 to 34%) and in which schizonts developed during the first week after infection (18 to 23%). Using a limiting dilution culture system, it was established, however, that a significantly higher proportion of cattle PBM transformed into continuously replicating cell lines after infection with T. parva subsp. parva than did buffalo PBM. The evidence suggests that the low capacity of T. parva subsp. parva to establish infections in buffalo compared with cattle is related to the lower frequency of buffalo cells which undergo transformation. With T. parva subsp. lawrencei, however, the frequency of transformation of buffalo PBM was higher than that for cattle PBM. The frequency of cells transformed by T. parva subsp. lawrencei, therefore, cannot account for the greater resistance of buffalo to infections with T. parva subsp. lawrencei. Buffalo must have other mechanisms, either innate or acquired, which control infection with T. parva subsp. lawrencei more efficiently than in cattle.     

Human cytomegalovirus-specific cytotoxic T cells: their precursor frequency and stage specificity

Human virus-specific cytotoxic T (Tc) cells may be important in maintaining the virus/host equilibrium during persistent herpes virus infections such as that with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). We have previously shown that HCMV-specific Tc cells are present in peripheral blood in normal asymptomatic seropositive individuals (L. K. Borysiewicz et al., Eur. J. Immunol. 1983. 13: 804). In this study we have used limiting dilution analysis to estimate the precursor frequency of these Tc cells and to further delineate their specificity for viral proteins expressed at different stages of the virus replicative cycle. HCMV-specific Tc precursor cells were present in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) at a frequency of 1/5000 to 20,000 E+ PBL. This frequency was higher than that observed for varicella-zoster virus (VZV)-specific Tc cells (1/30,000 to greater than 500,000) in asymptomatic individuals and was similar to the VZV Tc precursor cell frequencies observed following clinical reactivation (1/30,000). When the stage specificity of clonally derived HCMV-specific Tc cells was analyzed, using target cells treated with phosphonoformate to allow expression of only the nonstructural viral proteins, the majority (60%) of Tc cells lysed these cells. A number of Tc cells lysed only cells which expressed the structural or late HCMV proteins. These results suggest a high precursor frequency of HCMV-specific Tc cells in PBL, and that there are subpopulations of such Tc cells specific for HCMV antigens expressed at different stages of the virus replicative cycle. However, the relative frequencies of these subpopulations suggest that the immunodominant HCMV antigens with respect to the Tc response are expressed at immediate early and/or early times.     

Theileria annulata and T. parva infect and transform different bovine mononuclear cells

Bovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were labelled with monoclonal antibodies recognizing bovine MHC class II, sIgM, monocyte, T-helper and T-cytotoxic cell phenotypes. They were sorted into positive and negative populations with a fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS). The cell populations were infected in vitro with sporozoites of either Theileria annulata or T. parva, and the degree of infection and transformation determined. The results showed that despite the many similarities between these two parasites, they infected different cells of the immune system. T. annulata preferentially infected MHC class II-positive cells but did not infect T cells. Monocytes were infected very efficiently by T. annulata but were uninfectable with T. parva. B cells were infected much more efficiently by T. annulata than T. parva. Cell lines derived from infections with T. annulata were analysed phenotypically. Virtually all reactivity was lost for the anti-sIgM and the anti-monocyte monoclonal antibodies post-infection and no T-cell markers were detected.     

Evidence for strain specificity in cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-mediated, major histocompatibility complex class I-dependent killing of Theileria annulata-infected cells

Cattle immunised against Theileria annulata with one parasite strain have been found to be immune to re-challenge with different strains of the parasite. However, recent evidence of apparent strain specificity has been documented in cattle immunised with attenuated parasite-infected cells. In this study the strain specificity of major histocompatibility complex class I-restricted cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTL), a major anti-parasite effector mechanism, was examined. CTL generated following challenge with the Hissar (Indian) strain effectively lysed autologous cells infected with this strain of the parasite. However, CTL were less effective against cells infected with the Gharb (Moroccan) strain and showed virtually no reactivity against the Ankara (Turkish) strain, providing the first direct evidence for strain specificity in immune responses against T. annulata. Received: 18 August 1997 / Accepted: 5 December 1997     

Techniques for the generation,cloning, and characterization of bovine cytotoxic T cells specific for the protozoan Theileria parva

Summary Techniques have been established for the generation of bovine cytotoxic T cell lines and clones specific for lymphocytes infected with the protozoan parasiteTheileria parva. Theileria-specific cytotoxic T cell lines are generated by repeated stimulation in vitro with autologousT. parva-infected cells, of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from cattle immunized withT. parva. Theileria-specific cytotoxic T cell clones can be derived from these restimulated cultures by limiting dilution of the cells in the presence of irradiated stimulator and filler cells and T cell growth factor. The clones have the BoT4^– BoT8⁺ phenotype and are restricted by class I MHC products. Parasite strain specificity of the clones differed depending on the parasite stock used for immunization, and in some instances differed between individual animals immunized with the same parasite stock. Preliminary evidence suggests that the latter is due to an influence of the MHC phenotype of the animal. Results of the parasite strain specificity of the cytotoxic T cell response are consistent with findings of cross-immunization experiments with the two stocks of the parasite studied.     

Bovine T cells, B cells, and null cells are transformed by the protozoan parasite Theileria parva.

The target cells for infection and transformation by Theileria parva were investigated. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were reacted with monoclonal antibodies specific for bovine leukocyte differentiation antigens, sorted into subpopulations with a fluorescence-activated cell sorter, and infected in vitro with T. parva sporozoites. Infected cells were cultured at limiting dilution, and transformed clones were screened with monoclonal antibodies. The results indicated that B cells, T cells (including BoT4+ and BoT8+ cells), and null cells but not monocytes or neutrophils were transformed in vitro after infection with T. parva. After transformation, peripheral blood T cells and T-cell clones retained expression of most or all of the T-cell differentiation antigens including the mature T-cell marker recognized by monoclonal antibody IL-A27, BoT2, and BoT4 or BoT8, and some cells acquired a low level of expression of BoT4, BoT8, or the null cell marker recognized by monoclonal antibody IL-A29. T. parva-transformed null cells retained expression of the IL-A29 determinant and acquired expression of BoT2 and BoT8 but not the IL-A27 determinant or BoT4. T. parva-transformed B cells in most instances lost expression of surface immunoglobulin and never acquired expression of the IL-A27 determinant, BoT2, BoT4, or BoT8, although some cells acquired a low level of expression of the null cell marker recognized by monoclonal antibody IL-A29. Further studies on cell lines and clones grown in vitro from populations isolated from T. parva-infected cattle suggested that the majority of the in vivo T. parva-transformed cells were of T-cell origin.     

Characterization of an insect cell-derived Theileria parva sporozoite vaccine antigen and immunogenicity in cattle.

Previous data showed that six out of a group of nine cattle inoculated with NS1-p67, a recombinant form of a 67-kDa Theileria parva sporozoite surface protein, were immune to East Coast fever. This bacterially expressed antigen encoded all 709 amino acid residues of p67 fused to the C-terminal end of 87 residues derived from NS1, a structural protein of influenza virus, and a linker DNA sequence. NS1-p67 lacked reactivity with TpM 12, a monoclonal antibody to native p67, and had an estimated molecular mass of 110 kDa, as opposed to the calculated mass of 85,000 Da. We have used the baculovirus expression system in an attempt to express this parasite protein in a native form and thereby increase the protective capacity of the antigen. However, Spodoptera frugiperda SF21AE cells infected with recombinant virus expressed p67 as a 100-kDa molecule. The host cells exhibited a limited capacity to glycosylate this molecule to a 110-kDa form, and p67 was not exported to the surface membrane. TpM 12 did not bind to these recombinant forms but, at time points late during viral infection, reacted with a molecule of about 70 kDa. Since the bulk of insect cell-derived p67 was not expressed in an appropriate form, we tested the immunogenicity of these partially processed recombinant p67 forms in cattle. Two groups of three cattle were inoculated with antigen formulated either with saponin or Freund's adjuvant. As seen previously with NS1-p67, all animals developed high levels of anti-p67 antibodies that neutralized sporozoite infectivity in vitro, but antigen-specific T-cell proliferative responses were not detected in peripheral blood. Given the caveat of the small number of cattle analyzed, insect cell-derived p67 does not appear to be superior to NS1-p67 as an immunogen, and the latter remains the molecule of choice for the development of vaccines against East Coast fever.     

Bovine cytotoxic T cell clones which recognize lymphoblasts infected with two antigenically different stocks of the protozoan parasite Theileria parva

The Muguga and Marikebuni stocks of Theileria parva differ on the basis of cross-protection and in their schizont antigen profile determined with a panel of parasite-specific monoclonal antibodies. The phenotype and specificity of six cytotoxic T cell clones generated from an animal immunized against T. parva (Marikebuni) were investigated. All six clones had the BoT2+ BoT4- BoT8+ phenotype, were dependent on both specific antigen and T cell growth factor for proliferation and were restricted by determinants on class I major histocompatibility complex molecules. The clones killed target cells infected with either the Muguga or Marikebuni stocks of the parasite; the target cell lines tested included T cell clones which were infected in vitro with the two parasite stocks and subsequently recloned. The specificity of these cytotoxic T cell clones contrasts with that of T cell clones generated previously from animals immunized against T. parva (Muguga), in that the latter were specific for target cells infected with the Muguga stock of the parasite. Moreover, one of the clones generated against T. parva (Marikebuni) was restricted by the same major histocompatibility complex molecule as the Muguga-specific T cell clones. The difference in parasite strain-specificity between the two sets of clones appears to reflect the capacities of the two parasite stocks to cross-protect, since animals immunized against T. parva (Marikebuni) are protected against challenge with T. parva (Muguga) whereas a proportion of animals immunized with T. parva (Muguga) are susceptible to challenge with T. parva (Marikebuni). Another difference between the two sets of T cell clones was that those generated against T. parva (Marikebuni) only killed a proportion of cells of a given cell line in a 4-h cytotoxicity assay, whereas Muguga-specific T cells invariably kill the majority of cells. However, despite this partial killing, the clones markedly inhibited growth of parasitized cell lines when cultured with them for a period of 5 days.     

The maintenance of lytic specificity during the development of clones of cytotoxic T lymphocytes from single precursor cells.

A high-cloning efficiency, filler cell-free limit-dilution culture system for the growth and differentiation of single cytotoxic T lymphocyte precursors (CTLp) was tested for its ability to maintain the lytic specificity of the resultant clones of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). The system used non-specific stimulation with phorbyl ester and calcium ionophore, maintenance of growth over the first 6 days of culture with interleukin (IL)-2 and interferon-gamma, and maintenance of growth and differentiation over the last 2 days of culture with IL-2 and IL-6. Under these defined conditions around 50% of all CD4- 8+ T cells developed into CTL clones that were specific in their lytic activity. In contrast, a culture system maintained by irradiated filler cells showed non-specific lysis of both YAC-1 type natural killer targets and of P815 type targets, while a culture system maintained by IL-2 and a crude growth factor preparation showed non-specific lysis of natural killer targets but not of P815. The defined lymphokine culture system was suitable for determining the specificity repertoire of primary CTLp. Using this system, the frequency of reactivity with allogenic tumor targets was found to be approximately one CTLp in 30 for several mouse strain/target cell combinations.     

T cell activation by Theileria annulata-infected macrophages correlates with cytokine production.

Defined immune complexes (IC) were used to compare the effect of antibodies of different classes and subclasses on neutrophil respiratory burst and degranulation. IC were made from 5-iodo-4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenacetyl (NIP) conjugated to bovine serum albumin (BSA) and chimaeric mouse-human anti-NIP monoclonal antibodies including IgA2, IgE and all four IgG subclasses. The activation of neutrophils by IC depended on antibody class and subclass, on antigen epitope density, on antigen: antibody ratio and on the medium used. The ability to generate the respiratory burst showed a different pattern to the ability to give rise to degranulation. Compared with other IC, IgA2 IC provided the strongest stimulus for neutrophil activation. IgG1 IC, IgG2 IC and IgG4 IC activated neutrophils moderately or weakly IgG3 IC were unable to stimulate the respiratory burst, but could cause strong degranulation. IgE IC could hardly cause any neutrophil response. Neutrophil degranulation in response to IgG3 IC in serum-free medium or heat-inactivated serum was fast, and it quickly reached maximum. Degranulation caused by IgA IC was relatively slow, but gradually increased during incubation. The activity of IgG1 IC, IgG2 IC and IgG4 IC generated a respiratory burst increased with antibody excess and decreased with antigen excess. The activity of IgA2 IC, however, was not affected by change of antigen and antibody ratio. A specific role of serum, possibly due to complement, was found in enhancing degranulation, both temporally and quantitatively, by IgA2 IC.     

Strain specificity of bovine Theileria parva-specific cytotoxic T cells is determined by the phenotype of the restricting class I MHC

To determine whether the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) phenotype of cattle could affect the parasite strain specificity of immunity to Theileria parva by influencing the antigenic specificity of Theileria-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), we investigated the parasite strain specificity of Theileria-specific CTL clones derived from cattle of different class I MHC phenotypes. Thirty-one class I-restricted CTL clones were generated from four cattle immunized with the Muguga stock of T. parva. The MHC restriction and parasite strain specificities were determined for each clone utilizing as targets, parasitized cell lines of different MHC phenotypes and cloned cell lines containing different parasite strains. CTL clones restricted by the same MHC determinant had similar parasite strain specificities. On the other hand, clones restricted by different MHC determinants exhibited different parasite strain specificities. This was true whether the clones were generated from the same animal or from different cattle and tested on a target cell line expressing both MHC determinants. These results provide strong evidence that differences in the strain specificities of CTL derived from animals immunized with the same parasite stock, are determined by the class I MHC phenotype of the immunized animal.     

Cell-mediated immunity to herpes simplex virus: specificity of cytotoxic T cells.

This communication deals with the question of which of the viral antigens constitutes the targets for cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) generated against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). The approach used was, first, to compare cytotoxicity of CTL against target cells infected with virus in the presence of tunicamycin and 2-deoxy-D-glucose, which are known to inhibit glycoprotein synthesis, and second, to compare cytotoxicity of CTL against target cells infected with wild-type HSV-1 with that against target cells infected with a temperature-sensitive mutant of HSV-1 which, at the nonpermissive temperature, exhibits diminished glycoprotein synthesis. The results show that glycoprotein expression is required for the demonstration of cytotoxic activity of CTL. The level of cytotoxicity against the temperature-sensitive HSV-1 target at the nonpermissive temperature was reduced and correlated with the level of expression of the major envelope glycoprotein region (VP123; molecular weight = 123,000) at the target cell surface as measured serologically by antibody binding studies. The results were interpreted to indicate that HSV-1-induced glycoproteins are the target antigens for anti-HSV CTL and that the principal viral antigens recognized by the CTL may be glycoproteins of the VP123 region.     

Analysis of cytotoxic T cell precursor frequencies directed against individual HLA-A and -B alloantigens

We describe here a limiting dilution analysis to determine cytotoxic T lymphocyte precursor (CTLp) frequencies against individual HLA-A or -B antigens. This assay is reproducible and showed that the CTLp frequency of an individual remains stable with time. Significant variations in CTLp frequency against the same alloantigen were found in different individuals and even in monozygotic twins, showing that these differences were not (completely) genetically determined. Within an individual, a wide range of CTLp frequencies can be found against different allo-antigens. Serologically cross-reactivity seems not to interfere in this assay. This LDA is a practicable tool for a systematic analysis of CTLp response against selected individual HLA-A or -B antigens and can be used for the selection of HLA mismatched donors for transplantation patients.     

Spontaneous cytotoxic T cells in murine spleen-cell cultures. I. Some characteristics of effector and precursor cells.

Cytotoxic T cells that arise spontaneously in culture (SCTL) have been characterized using a sensitive plaque reduction (PR) assay. Although SCTL effector cells are highly susceptible to anti-Thy-1 antibody plus complement treatment, they are derived from precursor cells having very low levels of Thy-1 antigen. SCTL are barely detectable in cultures of thymus cells, bone marrow cells, and spleen cells from athymic nu/nu and very old mice. Since SCTL have some similarities to both natural killer cells and normal cytotoxic T cells, SCTL may represent a stage in the T-cell lineage that links these two forms of cytotoxicity.     

Decrease of cytotoxic T cells in allergic asthma correlates with total serum immunglobulin E

BACKGROUND: Allergic asthma has been linked to an increase in T-helper type 2-like cytokines and T cells, but there is growing evidence for a role of lymphocyte-mediated cytotoxic mechanisms in the pathogenesis of asthma. Therefore, we investigated the cytotoxic potential of different lymphocyte subpopulations in patients with allergic asthma. METHODS: Granzyme A, B, K, and perforin expression in peripheral blood lymphocytes was analyzed using flow cytometry. Soluble granzymes were measured in serum using specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. RESULTS: Asthmatics had significantly decreased percentages of granzyme and perforin-positive CD4 T cells compared with non-atopic controls. In patients with asthma, the granzyme B and perforin-positive subset of CD8(+) T cells and natural killer T cells, which represent more differentiated cell populations, were significantly reduced, while this was not observed in the less differentiated granzyme K(+) subsets. In addition, the serum concentrations of granzyme B were significantly reduced in patients with asthma, while granzyme K concentrations were not different. Interestingly, there was a negative correlation between granzyme A, B and perforin expression in T cell subsets as well as serum granzyme B concentrations and total serum immunglobulin E. In CD3-negative natural killer cells, no differences in granzyme or perforin expression between patients with asthma and controls were detected. CONCLUSION: In allergic asthma, cytotoxic T lymphocyte subsets of a more differentiated phenotype are significantly decreased and this is correlated to serum immunglobulin E levels.     

Protein changes in bovine lymphoblastoid cells induced by infection with the intracellular parasite Theileria parva

Protein and glycoprotein changes induced in bovine lymphoblasts by infection with Theileria parva were analyzed by high-resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Uninfected and infected cloned bovine T and B lymphoblasts were biosynthetically labeled with [35S]methionine and their two-dimensional autoradiographic patterns were compared with each other and with the pattern obtained using purified labeled schizonts. Ten proteins were found in infected cells which were not present in uninfected cells, and seven of these were detected in preparations of purified schizonts. Four glycoproteins were detected on the surface of infected cells labeled with [3H]borohydride while a major glycoprotein present on uninfected cells disappeared or was reduced in infected cells. Other minor changes in protein and glycoprotein patterns were also observed.     

Frequencies of cytotoxic T lymphocyte precursor estimate in three different populations.

There is speculation that high cytotoxic T lymphocyte precursor frequencies (CTLpf) correlate with poor clinical outcome of bone marrow/organ transplantation. It is also believed that human umbilical cord blood is immunologically naive, and, therefore cord blood T cells may be less able to mediate graft versus host disease than marrow-derived T cells. CTLpf were determined in peripheral blood mononuclear cells collected from healthy adults, human umbilical cord blood and renal dialysis patients who were randomly selected and entered into this study. A highly sensitive non-radioactive Europium release cytotoxicity assay was optimized and modified to carry out the CTLpf estimation by using the principle of limiting dilution analysis. The results of CTLpf in healthy adults ranged from 1/694 to 1/66,666, median 1/7,339 (n=10); cord blood ranged from 1/1,562 to 1/35,714, median 1/10,162 (n=6) and dialysis patients ranged from 1/1,054 to 1/17,857 median 1/5,208 (n=9). The results demonstrated that there is little difference of CTLpf median values between the groups, but there is a wide variation of CTLpf between individuals within a population. It suggests that this variation should be taken into account when considering CTLpf assay as pre-transplantation cross-match procedure.