Klünner T, Bartels T, Vordermeier M, Burger R, Schäfer H (2001): Immune reactions of CD4- and CD8-positive T cell subpopulations in spleen and lymph nodes of guinea pigs after vaccination with Bacillus Calmette Guérin.
Vaccine 19 (15-16): 1968-1977.

Vaccination of guinea pigs with Mycobacterium bovis BCG confers partial resistance against infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Induction of immunity is associated with a strong T cell response. The reactions of the cytotoxic and helper T lymphocyte subsets after BCG vaccination were analyzed by cytofluorometry and in functional tests. The relative number of CD8⁺ T cells in the spleen increased substantially after injection of BCG. In vitro restimulation after immunization induced a strong proliferative response but no cytotoxic reactions of CD8⁺ T cells against BCG-infected macrophages. A specific induction of IFN-γ and RANTES mRNA was observed after vaccination particularly in CD8⁺ but not in CD4⁺ T cells of the lymph nodes.