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6th ESACP Congress, Heidelberg, April 7-11, 1999 |
A017
Memory for antigens encountered previously in life is one of the most
intriguing characteristics of the immune system. Despite their relevance for
immunopathology, the cells that confer it, their molecular setup and their
differentiation are still not well characterized. For cytometric approaches,
the low frequencies of cells memorizing particular antigens and the transient
and secretory expression of important molecules of immune reactions,
chemokines, cytokines and antibodies, have hindered the cytometric analysis,
cell sorting and functional and molecular characterization of memory
lymphocytes. In the recent past we have developed a series of new cytometric
technologies, allowing us to label viable cells according to secreted
products and rare surface molecules, and to isolate them efficiently, even if
they are extremely rare. We have used these techniques to identify the long
lived plasma cell as the cell responsible for humoral memory, i.e. long
lasting protective serum antibody titers. Their generation is controlled
by T lymphocytes via cytokines. The T cell memory for expression of
particular cytokines is essential for the generation of new plasma cells
from memory B lymphocytes, and of cytotoxic T lymphocytes from their
precursors. Complex patterns of cytokines expressed by individual cells
control the kind of immune reaction and by this, whether protection or
immunopathology is achieved. Cytokine cytometry and the isolation of viable
cells according to cytokine expression has contributed significantly to
reveal the molecular basis of cytokine memory and offers options to
manipulate it, in immunopathology, autoimmunity and allergy, and for the
development of vaccination strategies.
CYTOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF IMMUNOLOGICAL MEMORY
Radbruch A, Assenmacher M *, Broisterhus H *, Löhning M,
Leyendeckers H *, Miltenyi S *, Nitsch S, Richter A,
Scheffold A, Schmitz J *, Thiel A
Deutsches Rheumaforschungszentrum, Berlin, and * Miltenyi Biotech,
Bergisch-Gladbach