Induction of Granulysin and Perforin Cytolytic Mediator Expression in 10-Week-Old Infants Vaccinated with BCG at Birth

Background. While vaccination at birth with Mycobacterium bovis Bacilli Calmette-Guérin (BCG) protects against severe childhood tuberculosis, there is no consensus as to which components of the BCG-induced immune response mediate this protection. However, granulysin and perforin, found in the granul...

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Main Authors: Patricia L. Semple, Marcia Watkins, Virginia Davids, Alan M. Krensky, Willem A. Hanekom, Gilla Kaplan, Stanley Ress
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2011-01-01
Series:Clinical and Developmental Immunology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/438463
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author Patricia L. Semple
Marcia Watkins
Virginia Davids
Alan M. Krensky
Willem A. Hanekom
Gilla Kaplan
Stanley Ress
author_facet Patricia L. Semple
Marcia Watkins
Virginia Davids
Alan M. Krensky
Willem A. Hanekom
Gilla Kaplan
Stanley Ress
author_sort Patricia L. Semple
collection DOAJ
description Background. While vaccination at birth with Mycobacterium bovis Bacilli Calmette-Guérin (BCG) protects against severe childhood tuberculosis, there is no consensus as to which components of the BCG-induced immune response mediate this protection. However, granulysin and perforin, found in the granules of cytotoxic T lymphocytes and Natural Killer (NK) cells, can kill intracellular mycobacteria and are implicated in protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Methods. We compared the cellular expression of granulysin and perforin cytolytic molecules in cord blood and peripheral blood from 10-week-old infants vaccinated at birth with either Japanese or Danish BCG, administered either intradermally or percutaneously. Results. In cord blood, only CD56+ NK cells expressed granulysin and perforin constitutively. These cytolytic mediators were upregulated in CD4+ and CD8+ cord blood cells by ex vivo stimulation with BCG but not with PPD. Following BCG vaccination of neonates, both BCG and PPD induced increased expression of granulysin and perforin by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. There was no difference in expression of cytolytic molecules according to vaccination route or strain. Conclusions. Constitutive expression of perforin and granulysin by cord blood NK-cells likely provides innate immunity, while BCG vaccination-induced expression of these cytolytic mediators may contribute towards protection of the neonate against tuberculosis.
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spelling doaj-art-e3d8e923da834182b47d6523e012ee5b2025-08-20T02:21:24ZengWileyClinical and Developmental Immunology1740-25221740-25302011-01-01201110.1155/2011/438463438463Induction of Granulysin and Perforin Cytolytic Mediator Expression in 10-Week-Old Infants Vaccinated with BCG at BirthPatricia L. Semple0Marcia Watkins1Virginia Davids2Alan M. Krensky3Willem A. Hanekom4Gilla Kaplan5Stanley Ress6Division of Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South AfricaDivision of Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South AfricaSouth African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7700, South AfricaNational Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-8322, USASouth African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7700, South AfricaLaboratory of Mycobacterial Immunity and Pathogenesis, Public Health Research Institute, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark, NJ 07103-3535, USADivision of Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South AfricaBackground. While vaccination at birth with Mycobacterium bovis Bacilli Calmette-Guérin (BCG) protects against severe childhood tuberculosis, there is no consensus as to which components of the BCG-induced immune response mediate this protection. However, granulysin and perforin, found in the granules of cytotoxic T lymphocytes and Natural Killer (NK) cells, can kill intracellular mycobacteria and are implicated in protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Methods. We compared the cellular expression of granulysin and perforin cytolytic molecules in cord blood and peripheral blood from 10-week-old infants vaccinated at birth with either Japanese or Danish BCG, administered either intradermally or percutaneously. Results. In cord blood, only CD56+ NK cells expressed granulysin and perforin constitutively. These cytolytic mediators were upregulated in CD4+ and CD8+ cord blood cells by ex vivo stimulation with BCG but not with PPD. Following BCG vaccination of neonates, both BCG and PPD induced increased expression of granulysin and perforin by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. There was no difference in expression of cytolytic molecules according to vaccination route or strain. Conclusions. Constitutive expression of perforin and granulysin by cord blood NK-cells likely provides innate immunity, while BCG vaccination-induced expression of these cytolytic mediators may contribute towards protection of the neonate against tuberculosis.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/438463
spellingShingle Patricia L. Semple
Marcia Watkins
Virginia Davids
Alan M. Krensky
Willem A. Hanekom
Gilla Kaplan
Stanley Ress
Induction of Granulysin and Perforin Cytolytic Mediator Expression in 10-Week-Old Infants Vaccinated with BCG at Birth
Clinical and Developmental Immunology
title Induction of Granulysin and Perforin Cytolytic Mediator Expression in 10-Week-Old Infants Vaccinated with BCG at Birth
title_full Induction of Granulysin and Perforin Cytolytic Mediator Expression in 10-Week-Old Infants Vaccinated with BCG at Birth
title_fullStr Induction of Granulysin and Perforin Cytolytic Mediator Expression in 10-Week-Old Infants Vaccinated with BCG at Birth
title_full_unstemmed Induction of Granulysin and Perforin Cytolytic Mediator Expression in 10-Week-Old Infants Vaccinated with BCG at Birth
title_short Induction of Granulysin and Perforin Cytolytic Mediator Expression in 10-Week-Old Infants Vaccinated with BCG at Birth
title_sort induction of granulysin and perforin cytolytic mediator expression in 10 week old infants vaccinated with bcg at birth
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/438463
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