title: Cutting edge: 4-1BB is a bona fide CD8 T cell survival signal.
abstract: After recognition of Ag/MHC and ligation of a costimulatory molecule, resting T cells will clonally expand and then delete to very low levels. Previously, it was shown that deletion can be prevented by coinjection of cytokines or proinflammatory agents such as adjuvants. Here, we demonstrate that ligation of 4-1BB blocks deletion of superantigen-activated T cells in the absence of adjuvant or additional cytokine treatment. Nearly 10 times as many staphylococcal enterotoxin A-specific T cells were detected in the spleens of mice injected 21 days previously with staphylococcal enterotoxin A and an agonist anti-4-1BB Ab compared with mice given staphylococcal enterotoxin A and a control IgG. Even though both CD4- and CD8-activated T cells expressed 4-1BB, a higher proportion of CD8 T cells were rescued compared CD4 T cells. These data suggest that although 4-1BB provides costimulation, it may also promote long-term T cell survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis 97331, USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Mittler
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Vella
mesh_terms: D053330:4-1BB Ligand; D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016923:Cell Death / Q000276:immunology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000276:immunology; D002999:Clone Cells; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D008024:Ligands; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008805:Mice, Inbred A; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology; D018089:Superantigens / Q000494:pharmacology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D053330:4-1BB Ligand; D004768:Enterotoxins; D008024:Ligands; D018089:Superantigens; C505975:Tnfsf9 protein, mouse; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C026066:enterotoxin A, Staphylococcal