Properties of murine (CD8+)CD27- T cells.

Journal article

In humans, loss of CD27 expression is associated with the stable acquisition of effector functions by CD8+ T cells. We found that murine (CD8+)CD27- T cells were confined to the primed CD62L(dull/-)CD44(bright)CCR7- T cell population. (CD8+)CD27- T cells were absent from lymph nodes but could be found in blood, spleen and in non-lymphoid organs such as lung and liver. Late after primary influenza virus infection, low percentages of antigen-specific CD27- cells emerged in the lung and spleen. After recovery from secondary influenza virus infection, high percentages of influenza-specific CD27- T cells were found in the lung and the loss of CD27 on lung CD8+ T cells coincided with high granzyme B expression. After murine cytomegalovirus infection, loss of CD27 expression on virus-specific CD8+ T cell populations was sustained and especially marked in liver and lung. We suggest that in mice, CD27 is lost from CD8+ T cells only after repetitive antigenic stimulation. Moreover, the high expression of both granzyme B and perforin in the CD27- T cells suggests that the lack of CD27 on murine CD8+ T cells can be used to identify memory T cells with expression of cytotoxic effector molecules.

Authors: Baars, P; Sierro, S; Arens, R; Tesselaar, K; Hooibrink, B

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: European journal of immunology
• Volume: 35
• Issue: 11
• Pages: 3131-3141
• Publication date: 2005-11-01
• DOI: 10.1002/eji.200425770
• EISSN: 1521-4141
• ISSN: 0014-2980
• Language: English
• Keywords: Membrane Glycoproteins; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins; Mice; Orthomyxoviridae Infections; Cytomegalovirus; Perforin; Antigens, CD27; Serine Endopeptidases; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Granzymes; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; Immunologic Memory; Cytomegalovirus Infections; Aging; Animals; T-Lymphocyte Subsets