Dynamics of CD8+ T cell priming by dendritic cells in intact lymph nodes.
The cellular dynamics underlying activation of CD8+ T cells by dendritic cells (DCs) in the lymph node are not known. Here we have tracked the behavior of T cells and DCs by subjecting intact lymph nodes to real-time two-photon microscopy. We show that DCs scan at least 500 different T cells per hour in the absence of antigen. Antigen-bearing DCs are highly efficient in recruiting peptide-specific T cells and can engage more than ten T cells simultaneously. The duration of these interactions is of the order of hours, not minutes. The overall avidity of the interaction influences the probability that T cells will be stably captured by DCs, providing a possible basis for T cell competition. Taken together, our results identify the cellular behaviors that promote an efficient CD8+ T cell response in the lymph node.
Bousso
Philippe
P
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA. bousso@pasteur.fr
Robey
Ellen
E
D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation / Q000276:immunology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000276:immunology; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal