title: Defects in apoptosis increase memory CD8+ T cells following infection of Bim-/-Faslpr/lpr mice.
abstract: During many infections, large numbers of effector CD8(+) T cells are generated. After pathogen clearance, the majority of these cells undergo apoptosis, while the survivors differentiate into memory CD8(+) T cells. Although loss of both Bim and Fas function dramatically increased antigen-specific CD8(+) T cells in the lymph nodes following acute lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection, it was unclear whether they were pardoned effector or true memory CD8(+) T cells. In this study, we demonstrate they are bona fide memory T cells as characterized by surface marker expression, cytokine production, homeostatic proliferation, and ability to clear a secondary challenge of pathogen. Loss of both Bim and Fas also increased the number of virus-specific CD4(+) T cells found in the lymph nodes compared to the parental genotypes or wildtype mice. These studies illustrate that decreasing apoptosis increases the number of memory T cells and therefore could increase the efficacy of vaccines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
authors.forename: Ashley E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Weant
authors.forename: Ryan D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Michalek
authors.forename: Katie E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Crump
authors.forename: Chun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Andrew P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Konopitski
authors.forename: Jason M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Grayson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D000072224:Bcl-2-Like Protein 11; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D008216:Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D008217:Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus / Q000276:immunology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D000072224:Bcl-2-Like Protein 11; C000606776:Bcl2l11 protein, mouse; C491899:Fas protein, mouse; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019014:fas Receptor