Vet. Res. (2008) 39:08
DOI: 10.1051/vetres:2007046

Analysis of cellular responses to Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides small colony biotype associated with control of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia

Philippe Totté¹, Valérie Rodrigues¹, Aboubakar Yaya², Bamanga Hamadou², Ousmane Cisse³, Mahamadou Diallo³, Mamadou Niang³, François Thiaucourt¹ and Laurence Dedieu<sup>1

1</sup>  Cirad, UPR Contrôle des maladies, F-34398 Montpellier, France
²  Laboratoire National Vétérinaire, BP 503 Garoua, Cameroon
³  Laboratoire Central Vétérinaire, PO BOX 2295, Route de Koulikoro Km8, Bamako, Mali

(Received 26 February 2007; accepted 31 August 2007 ; published online 21 November 2007)

Abstract - A better understanding of protective immune memory against contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) is needed in order to facilitate the development of safer vaccines based on selected components of the pathogen. For this purpose, cells collected from lymph nodes draining the lungs of Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides small colony biotype (MmmSC)-infected cattle were stimulated with the pathogen in vitro and evaluated concurrently for proliferation (CFSE based method), expression of activation, memory markers and cytokine production. Direct evidence is presented for a major contribution of CD4⁺ T cells to the vigorous proliferative and T1 biased cytokine recall responses observed in cattle that have recovered from infection but not in animals developing the acute form of the disease. Two different phenotypes of MmmSC-specific memory CD4 were observed based on CD62L expression and proliferative capacities. Furthermore, recall proliferation of B cells also occurred but was strictly dependent on the presence of CD4. The information provided in this study will facilitate the search for MmmSC antigens that have potential for the development of subunit vaccines against CBPP.

Key words: contagious bovine pleuropneumonia  / Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides SC  / vaccine / memory  / CD4

Corresponding author: philippe.totte@cirad.fr

© INRA, EDP Sciences 2007