Ly-6C is a marker of memory CD8+ T cells.
This study examined long-term phenotypic and functional effects of TCR ligation in vivo. Flow cytometric analysis of T cells from mice treated with anti-CD3 revealed an increase in CD44 expression in both the CD4+ and CD8+ populations. The phenotypic changes were a result of TCR engagement, because treatment with staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) resulted in a preferential increase in CD44 expression on the SEB-reactive V beta 8 T cells. In addition, the percentage of cells expressing Ly-6C increased among the CD8+ subset after anti-CD3 treatment and in the V beta 8+ CD8+ subset after treatment with SEB. Finally, the TCR transgenic (Tg) mouse strain 2C was used to confirm that the phenotypic changes can be induced by exposure to a physiologic ligand (H-2Ld). Before treatment, nearly all of the Tg+CD8+ cells were CD44low/Ly-6C-. Tg+ peritoneal exudate T cells isolated from mice challenged with P815 cells (H-2Ld) up-regulated Ly-6C and secreted higher levels of IFN-gamma on a per Tg+ CD8+ T cell basis after treatment. Taken together, these data indicate that in vivo TCR/CD3 engagement results in phenotypic and functional changes in T cells. Furthermore, Ly-6C expression correlates with an increase in IFN-gamma production after antigenic stimulation of CD8+ T cells, suggesting that it is a "memory" marker that correlates with Ag-specific functional changes in CD8+ T cells.
Walunas
T L
TL
Committee on Immunology, University of Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
Bruce
D S
DS
Dustin
L
L
Loh
D Y
DY
Bluestone
J A
JA
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000950:Antigens, Ly / Q000032:analysis*; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000276:immunology; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000502:physiology; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000032:analysis; D016201:Receptors, Lymphocyte Homing / Q000032:analysis
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000950:Antigens, Ly; D017252:CD3 Complex; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D004768:Enterotoxins; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D016201:Receptors, Lymphocyte Homing; C031818:enterotoxin B, staphylococcal; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens