Differences in Resistance of C57BL/6 and C57BL/10 Mice to Infection byMycobacterium aviumAre Independent of Gamma Interferon

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Abstract
After infection with a low-virulence strain ofMycobacterium avium, C57BL/6 and C57BL/10 mice had clear differences in the control of the infection in their livers and spleens. This difference in susceptibility was not associated with differences in theH-2complex. It was dependent on the activity of CD4+T cells but unrelated to the ability of these cells to secrete gamma interferon or to the development of delayed-type hypersensitivity responses at 3 weeks of infection. It was associated with lower total numbers of CD4+cells present in infected spleens and was related to an earlier induction of protective T cells, as measured by adoptive-transfer assays. These data further strengthen the notion of gamma-interferon-independent mechanisms of protection against mycobacteria.