title: CD11chigh dendritic cell ablation impairs lymphopenia-driven proliferation of naive and memory CD8+ T cells.
abstract: The peripheral lymphocyte pool size is governed by homeostatic mechanisms. Thus, grafted T cells expand and replenish T cell compartments in lymphopenic hosts. Lymphopenia-driven proliferation of naive CD8+ T cells depends on self-peptide/MHC class I complexes and the cytokine IL-7. Lymphopenia-driven proliferation and maintenance of memory CD8+ T cells are MHC independent, but are believed to require IL-7 and contact with a bone marrow-derived cell that presents the cytokine IL-15 by virtue of its high affinity receptor (IL-15Ralpha). In this study we show that optimal spontaneous proliferation of grafted naive and memory CD8+ T cells in mice rendered lymphopenic through gene ablation or irradiation requires the presence of CD11chigh dendritic cells. Our results suggest a dual role of CD11chigh dendritic cells as unique APC and cytokine-presenting cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
authors.forename: Tami
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zaft
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sapoznikov
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Krauthgamer
authors.forename: Dan R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Littman
authors.forename: Steffen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jung
mesh_terms: D019264:Adoptive Transfer; D000818:Animals; D039521:CD11c Antigen / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002678:Chimera / Q000276:immunology; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D007519:Isoantigens; D008231:Lymphopenia / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic
chemical_list: D039521:CD11c Antigen; D007519:Isoantigens