The liver eliminates T cells undergoing antigen-triggered apoptosis in vivo.
Deletion of mature peripheral T cells may result from TCR ligation by bacterial enterotoxins, endogenous provirus-encoded superantigens, and peptide antigens. But the ultimate fate of deleted T cells is not clear. Using a line of T cell receptor transgenic mice injected with antigenic peptide, we have documented that peripheral deletion is accompanied by the induction of abortive T cell activation followed by the disappearance of transgene-positive T cells. As these T cells disappear from the lymph nodes and spleen, they accumulate in the liver, where they undergo apoptosis. This is likely to be a general clearance pathway for T cells that are programmed to undergo apoptosis in vivo, and it may further explain the expansion of the intrahepatic T cell pool in mice with genetic defects in the T cell apoptosis mechanism, such as the lpr mutant.
Huang
L
L
Section of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510.
Soldevila
G
G
Leeker
M
M
Flavell
R
R
Crispe
I N
IN
D000818:Animals; D000952:Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming / Q000276:immunology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000276:immunology*; D007114:Immunization; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D011120:Polyomavirus / Q000276:immunology; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
D000952:Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell