gamma delta-TCR~+ CD2 lymphocytes are recruited into bovine mammary gland after stimulation

摘要

gamma delta-T-Cell Receptor (TCR) lymphocytes were detected in mammary gland lavages collected from 10 clinically healthy virgin heifers before and after intramammary stimulation with synthetic muramyl dipeptide analogue. Using two-colour flow cytometry, CD2~+ and CD2~- subsets of gamma delta-TCR lymphocytes were analyzed. CD2~+ gamma delta-TCR lymphocytes markedly prevailed over CD2~- cells in intact mammary gland: 88.9 ± 4.9% of gamma delta-TCR lymphocytes were CD2~+. After stimulation, neutrophils and y6-TCR lymphocytes were recruited into the mammary gland. Among gamma delta-TCR lymphocytes, CD2~ cells were mainly responsible for their expansion. After stimulation, 60.8 ± 13.4% of gamma delta-TCR lymphocytes were CD2~+ (P < 0.01 when comparedwith mammary gland lavages before stimulation). It follows from the present study that the cells seem to be involved in the first phase of a response to an infection affecting mammary gland.