Resident Th1-like effector memory cells in pulmonary recall responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

We recently described a model of Th1 recall responses based on segmental antigen challenge with purified protein derivative of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (PPD). Bronchoscopic instillation of 0.5 tuberculin units of PPD resulted in localized lymphocytic inflammation in PPD-positive subjects only. Recruited lymphocytes were predominantly CD4+ and were enriched for cells capable of PPD-specific interferon (IFN)-gamma production. In the current study, we investigated the mechanisms by which this localized recall response is mobilized. Bronchoscopic PPD challenge of skin test-positive subjects resulted in the production of CXCR3 ligands IFN-gamma-inducible protein (IP)-10 and monokine induced by IFN-gamma (Mig), but not of CCR5 ligands macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha and regulated-upon activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted, whereas skin test-negative subjects produced none of these chemokines. Baseline bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells of skin test-positive subjects produced IP-10 and Mig in response to in vitro stimulation as well. Because IP-10 and Mig are IFN-gamma-inducible chemokines, these findings suggested that chemokine responses to PPD were facilitated by resident memory cells of the lung. Further studies confirmed that baseline BAL lymphocytes of PPD-positive subjects produce IFN-gamma in response to PPD, and that, compared with peripheral blood, BAL cells are preferentially enriched for PPD-specific lymphocytes. This IFN-gamma production is predominantly a function of CD4+ T cells that display the CD45RO+/CCR7- surface phenotype characteristic of effector memory cells.

CD40 ligand (CD154) does not contribute to lymphocyte-mediated inhibition of virulent Mycobacterium tuberculosis within human monocytes.

Human monocytes displayed increased expression of CD40 following infection with virulent Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Nevertheless, soluble CD40 ligand (CD40L; also designated CD154) had no effect on the intracellular growth of the organism. Restriction of the intracellular growth of M. tuberculosis by peripheral blood lymphocytes and antigen-specific CD4+ T-cell lines likewise was not reduced by blocking anti-CD40L monoclonal antibody 5c8.

Differences in rate and variability of intracellular growth of a panel of Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates within a human monocyte model.

Significant differences were observed in the capacities of Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates to grow within human monocytes. Genotyping indicated that the four most rapidly growing isolates were members of the Beijing strain family. M. tuberculosis strain H37Rv provided more reproducible infection than the clinical isolates or M. tuberculosis Erdman.

Recruitment of antigen-specific Th1-like responses to the human lung following bronchoscopic segmental challenge with purified protein derivative of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Although the mechanisms of specific immunity to Mycobacterium tuberculosis in humans are poorly understood, responses of Th1-like CD4+ T cells appear to be essential for protection. We hypothesized that healthy individuals displaying positive skin-test responses to purified protein derivative of M. tuberculosis (PPD) would have the capacity to mobilize M. tuberculosis-specific Th1 cells to the lung in response to bronchoscopic challenge with PPD. Local instillation of 0.5 tuberculin units of PPD was followed 48 h subsequently by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) of PPD-challenged and control segments. In PPD-positive subjects, PPD challenge resulted in a 2.7-fold increase in total BAL cells and in an increase in the percentage of lymphocytes in BAL from 10 to 19%. The BAL lymphocytosis observed in PPD-challenged segments was characterized by an increased percentage of CD4+ T cells and by increased numbers of cells capable of antigen-specific interferon-gamma production. In contrast, PPD-negative subjects did not develop local inflammation following PPD challenge. These findings indicate that bronchoscopic challenge with PPD results in recruitment of antigen-specific recall responses to the lung. This novel approach may be useful in clarifying the basis of local immunity against M. tuberculosis, and could serve more generally as a model of the development of Th1-like responses in the human lung.