Streptococcus uberis is an important cause of intramammary infection in dairy cattle. Strains of S. uberis appear to differ in their ability to cause disease based on previous epidemiological studies. We explored the pathogenicity of 2 strains of S. uberis, where one strain represented a putatively host-adapted type based on its ability to cause persistent infection and to spread from cow to cow in a lactating herd. This type was part of a clonal complex that is commonly associated with bovine mastitis. The other strain, which was isolated from a transient infection in a single animal in the same herd and did not belong to any known clonal complex, was selected as putatively non-adapted type. Cows (6 per strain) were experimentally challenged in a single hind quarter and the adjacent hind quarter was used as mock challenged control quarter. Both strains showed an equal ability grow in milk of challenge animals in vitro. All cows that were challenged with the putatively host-adapted strain developed clinical signs of mastitis, including fever and milk yield depression as well as elevated somatic cell count due to influx of polymorphonuclear leucocytes and lymphocytes. The cytokine response followed a specific order, with an increase in IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-8 levels at the time of first SCC elevation, followed by an increase in IL-10, IL-12p40 and TNF-α levels approximately 6 h later. In 4 of 6 animals, IL-17A was detected in milk between 57 and 168 h post challenge. The increase in IL-17A levels coincided with inversion of the pre-challenge CD4+:CD8+ T lymphocyte ratio, and was observed from 96 h post challenge. This was followed by normalisation of the CD4+:CD8+ ratio due to continued increase of the CD8+ concentration up to 312 h post challenge. Spontaneous resolution of infection was observed in 5 animals and coincided with a measurable IL-17A response in 4 animals, suggesting that IL-17 may be involved in the resolution of intramammary infection. To explore the mechanism of action of IL-17A we stimulated bovine PMN and bovine blood derived macrophages with recombinant IL-17A in vitro. IL-17A enhanced the killing ability of phagocyte toward the challenge strain. With the exception of minor elevation of IL-8 levels, no clinical, cytological or immunological response was detected in quarters challenged with the non-adapted strain. The observed strain specific pathogenicity was consistent across animals, implying that it is determined by pathogen factors rather than host factors. We further studied in vitro possible mechanisms involved in the differences observed between the two strains such as ability to adhere to the mammary epithelial cells, ability to resist to killing by phagocytes and ability to form biofilm. The adapted strain FSL Z1-048 showed an increased ability to adhere to the epithelial cells and an increase ability to resist to killing of monocyte derived macrophages. These mechanisms thus could potentially explain the in vivo observations.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(医学) / 甲第18514号 / 医博第3934号 / 新制||医||1006(附属図書館) / 31400 / 京都大学大学院医学研究科医学専攻 / (主査)教授 上本 伸二, 教授 三森 経世, 教授 長田 重一 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Medical Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

Human γδ T cells expressing the Vγ2Vδ2 T cell antigen receptor play important roles in immune responses to microbial pathogens by monitoring prenyl pyrophosphate isoprenoid metabolites. Most adult Vγ2Vδ2 cells are memory cytotoxic cells that produce interferon-γ (IFN-γ). Recently, murine γδ T cells were found to be major sources of interleukin (IL)-17A in anti-microbial and autoimmune responses. To determine if primate γδ T cells play similar roles, we characterized IL-17A and IL-22 production by Vγ2Vδ2 T cells. IL-17A-producing memory Vγ2Vδ2 T cells exist at low but significant frequencies in adult humans (1:2,762 T cells) and at even higher frequencies in adult rhesus macaques. Higher levels of Vγ2Vδ2 T cells produce IL-22 (1:1,864 T cells) although few produce both IL-17A and IL-22. Unlike adult humans where many IL-17A+ V#947;2Vδ2 T cells also produce IFN-#947; (T#947;δ1/17), the majority of adult macaques IL-17A+ Vδ2 T cells (T#947;δ17) do not produce IFN-#947;. To define the cytokine requirements for T#947;δ17 cells, we stimulated human neonatal V#947;2Vδ2 T cells with the bacterial antigen, (E)-4-hydroxy-3-methyl-but-2-enyl pyrophosphate, and various cytokines and mAbs in vitro. We find that IL-6, IL-1β, and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) are required to generate T#947;δ17 cells in neonates whereas T#947;δ1/17 cells additionally required IL-23. In adults, memory T#947;δ1/17 and T#947;δ17 cells required IL-23, IL-1β, and TGF-β but not IL-6. IL-22-producing cells showed similar requirements. Both neonatal and adult IL-17A+ V#947;2Vδ2 T cells expressed elevated levels of retinoid-related orphan receptor-#947;t. Our data suggest that, like Th17 αβ T cells, V#947;2Vδ2 T cells can be polarized into T#947;δ17 and T#947;δ1/17 populations with distinct cytokine requirements for their initial polarization and later maintenance.

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