The Journal of Immunology, Vol 155, Issue 8 3719-3721, Copyright © 1995 by American Association of Immunologists

CUTTING EDGE

Laser light suicide of proliferating virus-specific CD8+ T cells in an in vivo response

RA Tripp, JM Lahti and PC Doherty
Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA.

Virus-specific CD8+ CTL precursor (CTLp) frequencies are a function of rates of clonal expansion and loss, both of which are difficult to assess in vivo. Proliferating T cells incorporate the nucleoside analogue 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU), making them sensitive to light- induced apoptotic cell death (suicide). Mice were infected with an influenza A virus, then given 50 mg of BrdU 24 h before sampling. Exposure of freshly isolated, CD8-labeled T cells to the laser beam of the flow cytometer resulted in the elimination of > 90% of the responding CTLp. The effect was obvious for the regional lymph node from day 6 to day 12 after priming, indicating continued cycling over a 7-day interval. Thus, as CTLp frequencies remain fairly constant from 7 to 30 days after infection, the persistent increase (> 30x) in numbers must be accompanied by a very substantial loss of virus-specific CD8+ T cells.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				Y. Guilloux, X.-f. Bai, X. Liu, P. Zheng, and Y. Liu Optimal Induction of Effector but not Memory Antitumor Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes Involves Direct Antigen Presentation by the Tumor Cells Cancer Res., February 1, 2001; 61(3): 1107 - 1112. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				A. Kaur, C. L. Hale, S. Ramanujan, R. K. Jain, and R. P. Johnson Differential Dynamics of CD4+ and CD8+ T-Lymphocyte Proliferation and Activation in Acute Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Infection J. Virol., September 15, 2000; 74(18): 8413 - 8424. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				K. J. Flynn, J. M. Riberdy, J. P. Christensen, J. D. Altman, and P. C. Doherty In vivo proliferation of naive and memory influenza-specific CD8+ T cells PNAS, July 20, 1999; 96(15): 8597 - 8602. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. J. Topham and P. C. Doherty Longitudinal Analysis of the Acute Sendai Virus-Specific CD4+ T Cell Response and Memory J. Immunol., November 1, 1998; 161(9): 4530 - 4535. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. A. Tripp, A. M. Hamilton-Easton, R. D. Cardin, P. Nguyen, F. G. Behm, D. L. Woodland, P. C. Doherty, and M. A. Blackman Pathogenesis of an Infectious Mononucleosis-like Disease Induced by a Murine gamma -Herpesvirus: Role for a Viral Superantigen? J. Exp. Med., May 5, 1997; 185(9): 1641 - 1650. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. Liu, R. H. Wenger, M. Zhao, and P. J. Nielsen Distinct Costimulatory Molecules Are Required for the Induction of Effector and Memory Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes J. Exp. Med., January 20, 1997; 185(2): 251 - 262. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]