Bone marrow is a preferred site for homeostatic proliferation of memory CD8 T cells.
Proliferative renewal of memory CD8 T cells is essential for maintaining long-term immunity. In this study, we examined the contributions that various tissue microenvironments make toward the homeostatic proliferation of Ag-specific memory CD8 T cells. We found that dividing memory T cells were present in both lymphoid and nonlymphoid tissues. However, the bone marrow was the preferred site for proliferation and contained a major pool of the most actively dividing memory CD8 T cells. Adoptive transfer studies indicated that memory cells migrated through the bone marrow and divided there preferentially. These results show that the bone marrow is not only the source of stem cells for generating naive T cells but also provides the necessary signals for the self-renewal of memory T cells.
Becker
Todd C
TC
Emory Vaccine Center, and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
Coley
Shana M
SM
Wherry
E John
EJ
Ahmed
Rafi
R
D019264:Adoptive Transfer; D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000637:transplantation / Q000821:virology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000276:immunology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000276:immunology*; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D019409:Interleukin-15 / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D008216:Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis / Q000276:immunology; D008217:Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009928:Organ Specificity / Q000276:immunology; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000637:transplantation; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000276:immunology
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D006023:Glycoproteins; D019409:Interleukin-15; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D014764:Viral Proteins; C094244:glycoprotein peptide 33-41, Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus