Characterization of a Distinct Subpopulation of Bovine γδ T cells

Abstract

Summary A population of mononuclear cytotoxic cells from peripheral blood leucocytes of cattle showed no usual markers of B and T lymphocytes. However, it could be allocated to a previously unreported γδ T cell compartment. This assumption was suggested by: 1. The surface expression of CD3; 2. PCR amplification of the Cδ TcR gene from cDNA; and 3. The detection of peripheral blood precursors expressing the workshop cluster (WC) 1 marker of bovine γδ T cells. These cells are recognized by murine monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) 5D4, 1E7, 6F9 and 8D7, raised in the authors' laboratory. The above mAbs also identify distinct groups of cells in thymus, spleen, lymph nodes and about 1 % of uncultured PBL. The most diffuse infiltration of such cells was shown in the small intestine, as both intraepithelial and lamina propria lymphocytes. Mucosal homing activity was confirmed by immunoperoxidase staining on tongue and pharynx sections of healthy cattle.

Toll-like receptors, IFN-γ and IL-12 expression in bovine leukemia virus-infected animals with low or high proviral load

“…γδ + T cells are found in large proportions in cattle; they may comprise up to 60% of circulating lymphocytes in calves and decrease in adults up to 8-18% (Baldwin and Telfer, 2015). They can recognize antigens in their native form without MHC class I or II presentation (Baldwin and Telfer, 2015) and they have been shown to mount cytotoxic, cytokines and proliferative responses in several viral infections in cattle (Amadori et al, 1995;Bukowski et al, 1994;Silflow et al, 2005;Toka et al, 2011). γδ + T lymphocytes play a crucial role against intracellular pathogens, linking innate and specific immune responses (Baldwin and Telfer, 2015;Pollock and Welsh, 2002), and even a subpopulation of them can act as immune regulatory cells (Hoek et al, 2009).…”