title: T cell stimulation in vivo by lipopolysaccharide (LPS).
abstract: Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from gram-negative bacteria causes polyclonal activation of B cells and stimulation of macrophages and other APC. We show here that, under in vivo conditions, LPS also induces strong stimulation of T cells. As manifested by CD69 upregulation, LPS injection stimulates both CD4 and CD8(+) T cells, and, at high doses, stimulates naive (CD44(lo)) cells as well as memory (CD44(hi)) cells. However, in terms of cell division, the response of T cells after LPS injection is limited to the CD44(hi) subset of CD8(+) cells. In contrast with B cells, proliferative responses of CD44(hi) CD8(+) cells require only very low doses of LPS (10 ng). Based on studies with LPS-nonresponder and gene-knockout mice, LPS-induced proliferation of CD44(hi) CD8(+) cells appears to operate via an indirect pathway involving LPS stimulation of APC and release of type I (alpha, beta) interferon (IFN-I). Similar selective stimulation of CD44(hi) CD8(+) cells occurs in viral infections and after injection of IFN-I, implying a common mechanism. Hence, intermittent exposure to pathogens (gram-negative bacteria and viruses) could contribute to the high background proliferation of memory-phenotype CD8(+) cells found in normal animals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA.
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Tough
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sprent
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000032:analysis; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000494:pharmacology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D016827:CD8 Antigens; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D007370:Interferon Type I; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides