skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Lysis of cells infected with typhus group rickettsiae by a human cytotoxic T cell clone

Journal Article · · J. Immunol.; (United States)
OSTI ID:5441828

Cytolytic human T cells clones generated in response to the intracellular bacterium Rickettsia typhi were characterized. Growing clones were tested for their ability to proliferate specifically in response to antigens derived from typhus group rickettsiae or to lyse targets infected with R. typhi or Rickettsia prowazekii, as measured by /sup 51/Cr-release from target cells. Two clones were able to lyse targets infected with typhus group rickettsiae. One of these clones was more fully characterized because of its rapid growth characteristics. This cytolytic clone was capable of lysing an autologous infected target as well as a target matched for class I and II histocompatibility leukocyte antigens (HLA). It was not capable, however, of lysing either a target mismatched for both class I and II HLA or a target partially matched for class I HLA. In addition, the clone exhibited specificity in that it was able to lyse an autologous target infected with typhus group rickettsiae, but did not lyse an autologous target infected with an antigenically distinct rickettsial species, Rickettsia tsutsugamushi. These results demonstrate, for the first time, that cells infected with intracellular bacteria can be lysed by human cytotoxic T lymphocytes.

Research Organization:
Naval Medical Research Institute, Bethesda, MD
OSTI ID:
5441828
Journal Information:
J. Immunol.; (United States), Vol. 139:12
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Lysis of typhus-group rickettsia-infected targets by lymphokine activated killers
Conference · Sat Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1986 · Fed. Proc., Fed. Am. Soc. Exp. Biol.; (United States) · OSTI ID:5441828

Effect of sublethal gamma radiation on host defenses in experimental scrub typhus
Journal Article · Sun Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1986 · Infect. Immun.; (United States) · OSTI ID:5441828

Host defenses in experimental scrub typhus: effect of sublethal gamma radiation
Thesis/Dissertation · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1983 · OSTI ID:5441828