T lymphocyte response to Neisseria gonorrhoeae porin in individuals with mucosal gonococcal infections

T lymphocytes from a majority of patients with urogenital gonococcal diseas e (67%-80%) proliferated on incubation with gonococcal porin (Por), compare d with minimal induced proliferation of T lymphocytes from normal volunteer s. A significant increase in For-specific interleukin (IL)-4-producing CD4( +) T helper lymphocytes was seen in patients with mucosal gonococcal diseas e and not in normal controls. Similar results were observed in CD8(+) T lym phocytes from these patients. There was no measured increase in IL-2, IL-10 , IL-12, interferon-gamma, or tumor necrosis factor-alpha production by T l ymphocytes from infected subjects on incubation with For. Concomitant incre ases in IL-4 production in T lymphocytes from infected subjects expressing the mucosal addresin VLA alpha(4)/beta(7), on their surface were also obser ved on For incubation, but the increases were similar in T lymphocytes chat were VLA alpha(4)/beta(7), negative. In conclusion, mucosal gonococcal dis ease can induce For-specific circulating T lymphocytes with a Th2 phenotype , and a portion of these Por-specific T lymphocytes can potentially traffic to mucosal surfaces.