Specific, functional effector/memory CD8+ T cells are found in the liver post-vaccination.
BACKGROUND
The liver efficiently eliminates activated CD8+ T blasts. It is unknown if vaccine-primed CD8+ T blasts migrate to and establish functional CD8+ T cell immunity in the liver post-immunization.


OBJECTIVE
We tested, if functional CD8+ T cell populations can be detected in the liver post-vaccination.


METHODS
Murine CD8+ T cells with different epitope/restriction specificities were primed by intramuscular injection of protein- or DNA-based vaccines. The kinetics of appearance in the liver, as well as the surface phenotype and functional competence of intrahepatic, specific CD8+ T cell populations was tested.


RESULTS
High numbers of specific CD8+ T cells appear in the liver after vaccination that are activated (CD69+ CD44+), express effector functions (CD27lo/CD28lo phenotype, interferon gamma secretion, specific cytolytic reactivity), but show no evidence of apoptosis (annexin V-, B220lo, similar numbers/kinetics in primed, congenic lpr/lpr mice). Specific CD8+ T cells from the liver adoptively transferred into a naïve, syngeneic host successfully reconstitute specific CD8+ T cell immunity.


CONCLUSIONS
Specific, functionally competent CD8+ effector/memory T cell populations are established in the liver for months post-vaccination.
Dikopoulos
Nektarios
N
Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ulm, Helmholtzstrasse 8/1, D-89081 Ulm, Germany. nektarios.dikopoulos@medizin.uni-ulm.de
Jomantaite
Ieva
I
Schirmbeck
Reinhold
R
Reimann
Jörg
J
D000818:Animals; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D007156:Immunologic Memory / Q000276:immunology*; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D014611:Vaccination; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000276:immunology
D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D019444:Vaccines, DNA