Expression of CD11c Is Associated with Unconventional Activated T Cell Subsets with High Migratory Potential.
CD11c is an α integrin classically employed to define myeloid dendritic cells. Although there is little information about CD11c expression on human T cells, mouse models have shown an association of CD11c expression with functionally relevant T cell subsets. In the context of genital tract infection, we have previously observed increased expression of CD11c in circulating T cells from mice and women. Microarray analyses of activated effector T cells expressing CD11c derived from naïve mice demonstrated enrichment for natural killer (NK) associated genes. Here we find that murine CD11c+ T cells analyzed by flow cytometry display markers associated with non-conventional T cell subsets, including γδ T cells and invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells. However, in women, only γδ T cells and CD8+ T cells were enriched within the CD11c fraction of blood and cervical tissue. These CD11c+ cells were highly activated and had greater interferon (IFN)-γ secretory capacity than CD11c- T cells. Furthermore, circulating CD11c+ T cells were associated with the expression of multiple adhesion molecules in women, suggesting that these cells have high tissue homing potential. These data suggest that CD11c expression distinguishes a population of circulating T cells during bacterial infection with innate capacity and mucosal homing potential.
Mucosal Immunology Unit, Institut d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut Germans Trias i Pujol, AIDS Research Institute IrsiCaixa-HIVACAT, Can Ruti Campus, Badalona, Spain.
Jamal
J
Qualai
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, United States of America.
Lin-Xi
LX
Li
Mucosal Immunology Unit, Institut d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut Germans Trias i Pujol, AIDS Research Institute IrsiCaixa-HIVACAT, Can Ruti Campus, Badalona, Spain.
Jon
J
Cantero
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital "Germans Trias i Pujol," Can Ruti Campus, Badalona, Spain.
Antoni
A
Tarrats
Flow Cytometry Unit, Institut d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain.
Marco Antonio
MA
Fernández
Genomics and Bioinformatics Group, Institute for Predictive and Personalized Medicine of Cancer (IMPPC), Can Ruti Campus, Badalona, Spain.
Lauro
L
Sumoy
Functional Genomics Core, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), Barcelona, Spain.
Annie
A
Rodolosse
Center for Comparative Medicine, Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Cell Biology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, United States of America.
Stephen J
SJ
McSorley
Mucosal Immunology Unit, Institut d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut Germans Trias i Pujol, AIDS Research Institute IrsiCaixa-HIVACAT, Can Ruti Campus, Badalona, Spain.
Meritxell
0000-0001-6413-3812
M
Genescà
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology; D000950:Antigens, Ly / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D039521:CD11c Antigen / Q000276:immunology*; D002465:Cell Movement; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D023502:Chlamydia muridarum / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D039001:Integrin alpha Chains / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008875:Middle Aged; D055651:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D055611:Natural Killer T-Cells / Q000276:immunology; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000276:immunology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D016585:Vaginosis, Bacterial / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*
D015703:Antigens, CD; D000950:Antigens, Ly; D039521:CD11c Antigen; D039001:Integrin alpha Chains; C527211:Klrb1c protein, mouse; D055651:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; C091367:alpha E integrins; D007371:Interferon-gamma