Immune reactions of CD4- and CD8-positive T cell subpopulations in spleen and lymph nodes of guinea pigs after vaccination with Bacillus Calmette Guerin.

Vaccination of guinea pigs with Mycobacterium bovis BCG confers partial resistance against infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Induction of immunity is associated with a strong T cell response. The reactions of the cytotoxic and helper T lymphocyte subsets after BCG vaccination were analyzed by cytofluorometry and in functional tests. The relative number of CD8(+) T cells in the spleen increased substantially after injection of BCG. In vitro restimulation after immunization induced a strong proliferative response but no cytotoxic reactions of CD8(+) T cells against BCG-infected macrophages. A specific induction of IFN-gamma and RANTES mRNA was observed after vaccination particularly in CD8(+) but not in CD4(+) T cells of the lymph nodes.