Coxiella burnetii antigen-stimulated dendritic cells mediated protection against Coxiella burnetii in BALB/c mice.

Wei, Yan; Wang, Xile; Xiong, Xiaolu; Wen, Bohai · J Infect Dis · 2011

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Coxiella burnetii is the etiological agent of human Q fever. In this study, adaptive transfer of mouse bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) stimulated with C. burnetii antigen, phase I whole-cell antigen (PIAg), lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-removed PIAg (PIIAg), protein antigen Com1, or SecB significantly reduced coxiella burden in recipient mice compared with control mice. Mice that received PIIAg-pulsed BMDCs displayed substantially lower coxiella burden than recipient mice of PIAg-pulsed BMDCs after C burnetii challenge. The protection offered by the antigen-activated BMDCs was correlated with the increased proliferation of helper T (T(H)) T(H)1 CD4(+) cells, preferential development of T(H)17 cells, and impaired expansion of regulatory T lymphocytes. Our results suggest that PIIAg is far superior to PIAg in activating BMDCs to confer protection against C. burnetii in vivo, whereas Com1 and SecB are protective antigens because Com1- or SecB-pulsed BMDCs confer partial protection.

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