Cutting edge: competition for APC by CTLs of different specificities is not functionally important during induction of antiviral responses.
The hypothesis that T cell competition for access to APC influences priming of CTL responses is a controversial issue. A recent study using OVA as a model Ag supports this hypothesis and received considerable attention. However, using a comparable approach, we reached a different conclusion. We analyzed whether TCR transgenic T cells specific for lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus gp33-41/D(b) could inhibit the priming of endogenous responses against gp33-41 and against two other lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus glycoprotein-derived CTL epitopes. After priming with different stimuli, gp33-41/D(b)-specific TCR transgenic T cells reduced the endogenous gp33-41/D(b) response in a dose-dependent way, but all other endogenous responses were unaffected. Even when >10(6) TCR transgenic cells were combined with weak priming, no reduction of responses other than of those specific for gp33-41/D(b) was observed. Thus, competition for APC by CTLs of different specificities is not of functional relevance in antiviral immune responses.
Probst
Hans Christian
HC
Institute of Experimental Immunology, Zürich, Switzerland.
Dumrese
Tilman
T
van den Broek
Maries F
MF
D019264:Adoptive Transfer; D000818:Animals; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D008217:Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000502:physiology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000502:physiology*
D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell