Cutting Edge: IFN-γ-Producing CD4 T Lymphocytes Mediate Spore-Induced Immunity to Capsulated Bacillus anthracis

Abstract

Virulent strains of Bacillus anthracis produce immunomodulating toxins and an antiphagocytic capsule. The toxin component-protective Ag is a key target of the antianthrax immune response that induces production of toxin-neutralizing Abs. Coimmunization with spores enhances the antitoxin vaccine, and inactivated spores alone confer measurable protection. We aimed to identify the mechanisms of protection induced in inactivated-spore immunized mice that function independently of the toxin/antitoxin vaccine system. This goal was addressed with humoral and CD4 T lymphocyte transfer, in vivo depletion of CD4 T lymphocytes and IFN-γ, and Ab-deficient (μMT−/−) or IFN-γ-insensitive (IFN-γR−/−) mice. We found that humoral immunity did not protect from nontoxinogenic capsulated bacteria, whereas a cellular immune response by IFN-γ-producing CD4 T lymphocytes protected mice. These results are the first evidence of protective cellular immunity against capsulated B. anthracis and suggest that future antianthrax vaccines should strive to augment cellular adaptive immunity.