Differential expression of CD26 on virus-specific CD8(+) T cells during active, latent and resolved infection.
The hallmark of effective establishment of immune memory is the long-term memory cell that persists in the absence of antigen. To explore its characteristics, we investigated the differences between a resolved successful immune response, such as after influenza (flu) vaccination, and the state of chronic infection with persistent antigen, such as with cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which leads to defective T-cell memory. Immunophenotypic analyses using multi-parameter flow cytometry and tetramer technology identified a unique pattern of CD26(high) expression among influenza-specific CD8(+) T cells, but not among CD8(+) T cells specific for CMV, EBV (three different epitopes) or HIV. The median percentage of CD8(+) T cells expressing CD26 was 95.5% for influenza, but for cells specific for CMV, EBV and HIV it was 10.5%, 12%-19%, and 13.2%, respectively. These findings suggest that expression of CD26(high) may be a characteristic of a memory cell. CD26(high) expression correlates with expression of CD127, a marker of memory cells. Furthermore, CD26(high) cells can produce interleukin-2. These findings offer insight into the dynamics of T-cell differentiation, and they may offer a specific marker of a successfully developed memory CD8(+) T cell, that of CD26(high). This marker has the potential to be useful in studies of immune responses to infectious agents, and to new vaccine candidates.
Ibegbu
Chris C
CC
Emory Vaccine Center and Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA. cibegbu@rmy.emory.edu
Xu
Yong-Xian
YX
Fillos
Dimitri
D
Radziewicz
Henry
H
Grakoui
Arash
A
Kourtis
Athena P
AP
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000502:physiology; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000276:immunology; D018819:Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000502:physiology; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D017735:Virus Latency / Q000276:immunology
D015415:Biomarkers; D018819:Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4