In:
The Journal of Immunology, The American Association of Immunologists, Vol. 173, No. 4 ( 2004-08-15), p. 2494-2499
Abstract:
Classical CD4+ and CD8+ T cells recognize Ag presented by MHC class II (MHCII) and MHC class I (MHCI), respectively. However, our results show that CD4−/− mice mount a strong, readily detectable CD8+ T cell response to MHCII-restricted epitopes after a primary bacterial or viral infection. These MHCII-restricted CD8+CD4− T cells are more similar to classical CD8+ T cells than to CD4+ T cells in their expression of effector functions during a primary infection, yet they also differ from MHCI-restricted CD8+ T cells by their inability to produce high levels of the cytolytic molecule granzyme B. After resolution of a primary infection, epitope-specific MHCII-restricted T cells in CD4−/− mice persist for a long period of time as memory T cells. Surprisingly, upon reinfection the secondary MHCII-restricted response in CD4−/− mice consists mainly of CD8−CD4− T cells. In contrast to CD8+ T cells, MHCII-restricted CD8−CD4− T cells are capable of producing IL-2 in addition to IFN-γ and thus appear to have attributes characteristic of CD4+ T cells rather than CD8+ T cells. Therefore, MHCII-restricted T cells in CD4−/− mice do not share all phenotypic and functional characteristics with MHCI-restricted CD8+ T cells or with MHCII-restricted CD4+ T cells, but, rather, adopt attributes from each of these subsets. These results have implications for understanding thymic T cell selection and for elucidating the mechanisms regulating the peripheral immune response and memory differentiation.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0022-1767
,
1550-6606
DOI:
10.4049/jimmunol.173.4.2494
Language:
English
Publisher:
The American Association of Immunologists
Publication Date:
2004
detail.hit.zdb_id:
1475085-5
