Manipulating the rate of memory CD8+ T cell generation after acute infection.
Infection with Listeria monocytogenes elicits expansion in numbers of Ag-specific CD8+ T cells, which then undergo programmed contraction. The remaining cells undergo further phenotypic and functional changes with time, eventually attaining the qualities of memory CD8+ T cells. In this study, we show that L. monocytogenes-specific CD8+ T cell populations primed in antibiotic-pretreated mice undergo brief effector phase, but rapidly develop phenotypic (CD127(high), CD43(low)) and functional (granzyme B(low), IL-2-producing) characteristics of memory CD8+ T cells. These early memory CD8+ T cells were capable of substantial secondary expansion in response to booster challenge at day 7 postinfection, resulting in significantly elevated numbers of secondary effector and memory CD8+ T cells and enhanced protective immunity compared with control-infected mice. Although early expansion in numbers is similar after L. monocytogenes infection of antibiotic-pretreated and control mice, the absence of sustained proliferation coupled with decreased killer cell lectin-like receptor G-1 up-regulation on responding CD8+ T cells may explain the rapid effector to memory CD8+ T cell transition. In addition, antibiotic treatment 2 days post-L. monocytogenes challenge accelerated the generation of CD8+ T cells with memory phenotype and function, and this accelerated memory generation was reversed in the presence of CpG-induced inflammation. Together, these data show that the rate at which Ag-specific CD8+ T cell populations acquire memory characteristics after infection is not fixed, but rather can be manipulated by limiting inflammation that will in turn modulate the timing and extent to which CD8+ T cells proliferate and up-regulate killer cell lectin-like receptor G-1 expression.
Badovinac
Vladimir P
VP
Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Immunology, Department of Microbiology, University of Iowa, 51 Newton Road, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
Harty
John T
JT
D000208:Acute Disease; D019264:Adoptive Transfer; D000667:Ampicillin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000818:Animals; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000637:transplantation; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D007156:Immunologic Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D008088:Listeriosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic
D000667:Ampicillin