Multi-photon imaging of DC-CD8+ T cell interactions in intact lymph nodes

Multi-photon imaging data on DC-CD8+ T cell interactions in intact lymph nodes (LNs) have been obtained. The initiation of cytotoxic immune responses requires the direct interaction between naïve CD8+ T lymphocytes and dendritic cells. Multi-photon imaging showed that during priming, naïve T cells and dendritic cells (DCs) establish sequentially brief (i.e. minutes) and long (hours) antigen-specific contacts. We observed that ICAM-1 expression by mature DCs is critical for long-lasting contacts with CD8+ T cells, but dispensable for short-lived antigen-specific interactions. Serial brief T cell-dendritic cell contacts induced early CD8+ T cell activation, proliferation and effector CTL differentiation in the first few days after immunization. ICAM-1-deficient mature DCs, however, failed to induce fully effective priming, as CD8+ T in the LNs draining the immunization site produced reduced levels of IFN?, were clonally depleted after 2 weeks, and the mice failed to respond to re-challenge. Our results indicate that ICAM-1-dependent long lasting interactions between mature DCs and naïve CD8+ T cells determine the survival of activated CD8+ T cells and the establishment of effective memory.

• molecule type
• CD8,
• intercellular adhesion molecule 1

• cell type
• T cell,
• mature dendritic cell

• organism type
• Mus musculus

• experimental design type
• ex vivo design experiment

• bodily part type
• lymph node

created over 15 years ago (2 March 2009)    last modified over 13 years ago (28 September 2011)   [ RDF ]   [ RelFinder ]