Massive expansion of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells during an acute virus infection.
During LCMV infection, CD8+ T cells expand greatly. Bystander activation has been thought to play a role because few cells score as LCMV specific in limiting dilution analysis. In contrast, we find that at least a quarter of the CD8+ cells secrete IFNgamma specifically in response to LCMV peptides at the peak of the response. Moreover, by analyzing the expansion of adoptively transferred LCMV-specific, TCR-transgenic CD8+ T cells in congenic hosts, we have determined that most of the CD8+ cell expansion is virus specific. Analysis of the effect of the monospecific TCR-transgenic T cells on the host response to three LCMV epitopes suggests that CTL precursors compete for sites on the APC in an epitope-specific fashion and that this competition determines the specificity of the response.
Butz
E A
EA
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Immunology, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, USA.
Bevan
M J
MJ
D000208:Acute Disease; D019264:Adoptive Transfer; D000818:Animals; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D000939:Epitopes; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008216:Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D018448:Models, Immunological; D010455:Peptides / Q000276:immunology; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic; D018183:Transplantation Chimera
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D000939:Epitopes; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D010455:Peptides; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D007371:Interferon-gamma