Preferential accumulation of antigen-specific effector CD4 T cells at an antigen injection site involves CD62E-dependent migration but not local proliferation.
The migration of antigen-specific T cells to nonlymphoid tissues is thought to be important for the elimination of foreign antigens from the body. However, recent results showing the migration of activated T cells into many nonlymphoid tissues raised the possibility that antigen-specific T cells do not migrate preferentially to nonlymphoid tissues containing antigen. We addressed this question by tracking antigen-specific CD4 T cells in the whole body after a localized subcutaneous antigen injection. Antigen-specific CD4 T cells proliferated in the skin-draining lymph nodes and the cells that underwent the most cell divisions acquired the ability to bind to CD62P. As time passed, CD62P-binding antigen-specific CD4 T cells with interferon gamma production potential accumulated preferentially at the site of antigen injection but only in recipients that expressed CD62E. Surprisingly, these T cells did not proliferate in the injection site despite showing evidence of more cell divisions than the T cells in the draining lymph nodes. The results suggest that the most divided effector CD4 T cells from the lymph nodes enter the site of antigen deposition via recognition of CD62E on blood vessels and are retained there in a nonproliferative state via recognition of peptide-major histocompatibility complex II molecules.
Reinhardt
R Lee
RL
Department of Microbiology and the Center for Immunology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
Bullard
Daniel C
DC
Weaver
Casey T
CT
Jenkins
Marc K
MK
D019264:Adoptive Transfer; D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D000963:Antimetabolites / Q000378:metabolism; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine / Q000378:metabolism; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology*; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D019040:E-Selectin / Q000378:metabolism*; D007114:Immunization; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D011485:Protein Binding
D000941:Antigens; D000963:Antimetabolites; D019040:E-Selectin; D007376:Interleukin-2; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D010047:Ovalbumin; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine