Cutting Edge: The direct action of type I IFN on CD4 T cells is critical for sustaining clonal expansion in response to a viral but not a bacterial infection.
The action of type I IFN (IFN-I) on APCs is well studied, but their direct effect on CD4 T cells is unclear. To address this, we transferred IFN-I receptor-deficient (IFN-IR(0)) and -sufficient (wild-type, WT) TCR-transgenic CD4 T cells into WT mice and analyzed their response to immunization. In response to lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus immunization, WT CD4 T cells expanded approximately 100-fold, whereas IFN-IR(0) CD4 T cells expanded <10-fold. However, both WT and IFN-IR(0) CD4 T cells expanded approximately 10-fold after Listeria monocytogenes immunization. Poor expansion of IFN-IR(0) CD4 T cells after lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus immunization was not due to a defect in proliferation or initial activation but to poor survival of the daughter cells. Thus, direct IFN-I signals can play either a critical or minimal role in CD4 T cell clonal expansion depending on the specific pathogen.
Havenar-Daughton
Colin
C
Department of Immunology and Washington National Primate Center, University of Washington, 1959 Northeast Pacific Street, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
Kolumam
Ganesh A
GA
Murali-Krishna
Kaja
K
D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D007114:Immunization; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008217:Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D010641:Phenotype; D053633:Receptor, Interferon alpha-beta; D017471:Receptors, Interferon / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology
D007370:Interferon Type I; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D017471:Receptors, Interferon; D053633:Receptor, Interferon alpha-beta