HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Gray, P. M. Articles by Scott, P. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Gray, P. M. Articles by Scott, P.

Antigen-Experienced T Cells Limit the Priming of Naive T Cells during Infection with Leishmania major¹

Peter M. Gray^*, Steven L. Reiner, Deborah F. Smith, Paul M. Kaye and Phillip Scott^2,*

^* Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104; Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute and Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104; and Immunology and Infection Unit, Department of Biology, University of York and Hull York Medical School, York, United Kingdom

One mechanism to control immune responses following infection is to rapidly down-regulate Ag presentation, which has been observed in acute viral and bacterial infections. In this study, we describe experiments designed to address whether Ag presentation is decreased after an initial response to Leishmania major. Naive -Leishmania-specific (ABLE) TCR transgenic T cells were adoptively transferred into mice at various times after L. major infection to determine the duration of presentation of parasite-derived Ags. ABLE T cells responded vigorously at the initiation of infection, but the ability to prime these cells quickly diminished, independent of IL-10, regulatory T cells, or Ag load. However, Ag-experienced clonal and polyclonal T cell populations could respond, indicating that the diminution in naive ABLE cell responses was not due to lack of Ag presentation. Because naive T cell priming could be restored by removal of the endogenous T cell population, or adoptive transfer of Ag-pulsed dendritic cells, it appears that T cells that have previously encountered Ag during infection compete with naive Ag-specific T cells. These results suggest that during L. major infection Ag-experienced T cells, rather than naive T cells, may be primarily responsible for sustaining the immune response.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. Obst, H.-M. van Santen, R. Melamed, A. O. Kamphorst, C. Benoist, and D. Mathis Sustained antigen presentation can promote an immunogenic T cell response, like dendritic cell activation PNAS, September 25, 2007; 104(39): 15460 - 15465. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]