title: Virus-specific CD8+ T cells in the liver: armed and ready to kill.
abstract: Influenza A virus infection of C57BL/6 mice is a well-characterized model for studying CD8+ T cell-mediated immunity. Analysis of primary and secondary responses showed that the liver is highly enriched for CD8+ T cells specific for the immunodominant H2D(b)NP(366-374) (D(b)NP(366)) epitope. Functional analysis established that these liver-derived virus-specific CD8+ T cells are fully competent cytotoxic effectors and IFN-gamma secretors. In addition, flow cytometric analysis of early apoptotic cells showed that these influenza-specific CD8+ T cells from liver are as viable as those in the spleen, bronchoalveolar lavage, mediastinal lymph nodes, or lung. Moreover, cytokine profiles of the influenza-specific CD8+ T cells recovered from different sites were consistent with the bronchoalveolar lavage, rather than liver population, being the most susceptible to activation-induced cell death. Importantly, adoptively transferred influenza virus-specific CD8+ T cells from the liver survived and were readily recalled after virus challenge. Together, these results show clearly that the liver is not a "graveyard" for influenza virus-specific CD8+ T cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA.
authors.forename: Rachael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Keating
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yue
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Rutigliano
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: So
authors.forename: Elvia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Olivas
authors.forename: Paul G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Peter C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Doherty
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016923:Cell Death / Q000276:immunology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000276:immunology; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000276:immunology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D007371:Interferon-gamma