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- Title
The antigen-specific CD8+ T cell repertoire in unimmunized mice includes memory phenotype cells bearing markers of homeostatic expansion.
- Authors
Haluszczak, Catherine; Akue, Adovi D; Hamilton, Sara E; Johnson, Lisa D S; Pujanauski, Lindsey; Teodorovic, Lenka; Jameson, Stephen C; Kedl, Ross M
- Abstract
Memory T cells exhibit superior responses to pathogens and tumors compared with their naive counterparts. Memory is typically generated via an immune response to a foreign antigen, but functional memory T cells can also be produced from naive cells by homeostatic mechanisms. Using a recently developed method, we studied CD8 T cells, which are specific for model (ovalbumin) and viral (HSV, vaccinia) antigens, in unimmunized mice and found a subpopulation bearing markers of memory cells. Based on their phenotypic markers and by their presence in germ-free mice, these preexisting memory-like CD44(hi) CD8 T cells are likely to arise via physiological homeostatic proliferation rather than a response to environmental microbes. These antigen-inexperienced memory phenotype CD8 T cells display several functions that distinguish them from their CD44(lo) counterparts, including a rapid initiation of proliferation after T cell stimulation and rapid IFN-gamma production after exposure to proinflammatory cytokines. Collectively, these data indicate that the unprimed antigen-specific CD8 T cell repertoire contains antigen-inexperienced cells that display phenotypic and functional traits of memory cells.
- Publication
The Journal of experimental medicine, 2009, Vol 206, Issue 2, p435
- ISSN
1540-9538
- Publication type
Journal Article
- DOI
10.1084/jem.20081829