Antigen-induced cell death of T effector cells in vitro proceeds via the Fas pathway, requires endogenous interferon-gamma and is independent of perforin and granzymes.
Activation of resting T cells usually leads to their proliferation and differentiation into effector cells and a subsequent decline following elimination of the antigen. A situation of excessive antigen density may result in T cell receptor (TCR)-induced deletion of T effector cells, a process termed antigen-induced cell death (AgICD). Previous studies indicate that AgICD of cytotoxic T cells may be induced by either of the two key cytotoxic processes, granule exocytosis, including perforin and granzymes, or the Fas ligand (FasL)/Fas pathway. By using in vitro-polyclonally activated or ex vivo-derived virus-induced T cell populations from mice with mutations or targeted gene defects in one or more components of the two key cytolytic pathways we now show that TCR-induced apoptosis is only impaired in the absence of FasL and/or Fas, but not in the absence of perforin and/or granzymes. Furthermore, antibody-blockage of FasL alone is sufficient to inhibit early T cell death. Inhibition of both, FasL and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) is required to abrogate late apoptosis by AgICD. The fact that antibodies to IFN-gamma also inhibit AgICD suggests that the perforin plus granzyme-independent and FaSL and/or TNF-alpha facilitated process of AgICD of T effector cells is tightly regulated by endogenous IFN-gamma.
Max-Planck-Institut für Immunbiologie, Freiburg, Germany.
Vera
V
Sobek
Sandra
S
Balkow
Heinrich
H
Körner
Markus M
MM
Simon
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000276:immunology; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D005089:Exocytosis; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D053804:Granzymes; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000502:physiology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008216:Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis / Q000276:immunology; D008217:Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D054353:Perforin; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000502:physiology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000502:physiology*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000941:Antigens; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D017252:CD3 Complex; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; C505658:Fasl protein, mouse; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D019014:fas Receptor; D003208:Concanavalin A; D054353:Perforin; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D053804:Granzymes; C509214:Gzmb protein, mouse; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases