Use of the Human Granulysin Transgenic Mice To Evaluate the Role of Granulysin Expression by CD8 T Cells in Immunity To Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Preeti Thakur, Rujapak Sutiwisesak, Yu‐Jung Lu, Samuel M. Behar
Abstract
, as rodents lack the granulysin gene. A long-held hypothesis is that murine CD8 T cells inefficiently control M. tuberculosis infection because they lack granulysin. We used human granulysin transgenic (GNLY-Tg) mice to test this hypothesis. GNLY-Tg mice did not differ in their susceptibility to tuberculosis. However, granulysin expression by pulmonary CD8 T cells could not be detected after M. tuberculosis infection. As the pattern of granulysin expression in human CD8 T cells and GNLY-Tg mice seem to differ, GNLY-Tg mice are an imperfect model to study the role of granulysin. An improved model is needed to answer the importance of granulysin expression by CD8 T cells in different diseases.