title: Differential in vivo persistence of two subsets of memory phenotype CD8 T cells defined by CD44 and CD122 expression levels.
abstract: The existence of distinct subsets of memory CD8 T cells with different characteristics is now well established. In this work, we describe two subsets of mouse CD8 T cells with memory characteristics that coexist in primed thymectomized TCR-transgenic F5 mice and that share some properties with the human central and effector memory cells. The first subset corresponds to CD8 T cells generated following nucleoprotein 68 peptide priming which are CD44(int)CD122(-)nucleoprotein 68/H-2D(b) tetramer(+) and express high levels of CCR7 mRNA. In contrast, CD8 T cells in the second subset are CD44(high)CD122(+), are heterogeneous in terms of Ag specificity, and express low levels of CCR7 mRNA. We have studied the functional characteristics and the persistence of these two subsets in thymectomized mice. CD44(int) CD8 T cells persist like naive cells; i.e., they are slowly lost with time. However, surviving cells maintain their phenotype and memory characteristics for the entire life span of the animal. In contrast, CD44(high) CD8 T cells are persistent and accumulate in thymectomized but not euthymic mice. This is correlated with an increased in vivo proliferative and survival potential of these cells. These results show that acquisition of enhanced functional characteristics and long-term persistence by memory T cells are independent. This may have important consequences for the design of specific vaccine.
authors.affiliation: Immuno-Apoptose, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Unité 503, Center Européen de Recherche en Virologie et en Immunologie, Lyon, France.
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Walzer
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arpin
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Beloeil
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marvel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000235:genetics; D007156:Immunologic Memory / Q000235:genetics; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D054400:Receptors, CCR7; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051818:Replication Protein C; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D051020:bcl-X Protein
chemical_list: C494811:BCL2L1 protein, human; C494812:Bcl2l1 protein, mouse; C515370:CCR7 protein, human; C515371:Ccr7 protein, mouse; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D054400:Receptors, CCR7; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D051020:bcl-X Protein; D051818:Replication Protein C