Tuberculosis in aged gamma delta T cell gene disrupted mice

In young mice exposed to aerosol infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis removal of the gamma delta T cell population by targeted gene disruption do es not affect the expression of host resistance, but does influence the int egrity of the early granulomatous response. The current study demonstrates that in aged gamma delta T cell gene disrupted mice similar immunopathologi c changes ensued in both gene knockout and wild type control mice. Changes in cell surface marker expression, evident in other gene knockout models, w as not observed in the aged gamma delta T cell knockout mice. These data im ply that gamma delta T cell functions previously observed in young mice bec ome much less important as the animal ages. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.