Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 13, 2026

Measuring Bacterial Load and Immune Responses in Mice Infected with Listeria monocytogenes
12:50

Measuring Bacterial Load and Immune Responses in Mice Infected with Listeria monocytogenes

Published on: August 9, 2011

CD8+ T-cell-mediated response to Listeria monocytogenes taken up in the liver and replicating within hepatocytes

S H Gregory1, C C Liu

  • 1Department of Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital and Brown University School of Medicine, Providence 02903, USA. sgregory@lifespan.org

Immunological Reviews
|May 12, 2000
PubMed

Insights

CD8+ T cells eliminate Listeria-infected liver cells through cytolytic mechanisms. This involves perforin and Fas ligand pathways, leading to hepatocyte apoptosis and host resistance.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Hepatology
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Listeria monocytogenes primarily infects hepatocytes within the liver after intravenous injection.
  • CD8+ T cells are crucial for clearing Listeria infections in the liver, but the precise mechanisms remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent findings on the role of CD8+ T cell cytolytic activities in host resistance to Listeria.
  • To elucidate the mechanisms by which CD8+ T cells eliminate Listeria-infected hepatocytes.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on CD8+ T cell responses to Listeria.
  • Analysis of data implicating MHC class Ia- and class Ib-restricted CD8+ T cells.
  • Discussion of evidence for perforin- and Fas ligand-dependent pathways.

Main Results:

  • Cytolytic activities of CD8+ T cells are critical for controlling Listeria infection in the liver.
  • MHC class Ia- and class Ib-restricted CD8+ T cells contribute to host resistance.
  • Perforin and Fas ligand pathways induce caspase activity, leading to apoptosis of infected hepatocytes.

Conclusions:

  • CD8+ T cell-mediated apoptosis of infected hepatocytes is a key mechanism for resolving Listeria liver infections.
  • Understanding these cytolytic pathways can inform strategies for combating intracellular bacterial infections.

More Related Videos

Experimental Infection with Listeria monocytogenes as a Model for Studying Host Interferon-γ Responses10:10

Experimental Infection with Listeria monocytogenes as a Model for Studying Host Interferon-γ Responses

Published on: November 16, 2016

Using a Bacterial Pathogen to Probe for Cellular and Organismic-level Host Responses08:38

Using a Bacterial Pathogen to Probe for Cellular and Organismic-level Host Responses

Published on: February 22, 2019

Related Concept Videos

Cell-mediated Immune Responses01:40

Cell-mediated Immune Responses

Overview
Cells of the Adaptive Immune Response01:23

Cells of the Adaptive Immune Response

The T and B lymphocytes of the adaptive immune system develop from common lymphoid progenitor cells in the bone marrow. These progenitors give rise to precursors that eventually develop into both T and B lymphocytes. As these precursors mature, they gain the ability to detect and respond to foreign antigens in the body, a process known as immunocompetence. Additionally, these precursors acquire self-tolerance, a process that ensures they do not react to self-antigens. This intricate system...
T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection01:22

T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection

T cells are integral to our adaptive immune system, recognizing and effectively responding to foreign antigens. T cell activation and clonal selection are pivotal in orchestrating this immune response. This article elucidates these mechanisms, detailing the roles of cluster of differentiation (CD) markers, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, costimulatory signals, and the process of clonal selection.
Naive T cells that have not yet encountered an antigen express two primary CD...
Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response01:27

Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response

Cytotoxic T cells are a vital component of the immune system. They have the remarkable ability to identify and target antigens on infected or abnormal cells. These antigens often originate from intracellular pathogens such as viruses or abnormal proteins cancer cells produce.
Immunological surveillance is the ability of immune cells to monitor and eliminate infected cells with intracellular pathogens, neoplastically transformed cells, and cells with non-self antigens. Cytotoxic T cells and NK...
Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens01:31

Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens

The human immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to defend the body against bacterial infections. It consists of various immune cells, each playing a specific role in the defense mechanism.
Phagocytes
Phagocytes are the frontline soldiers of the immune system. They include neutrophils and macrophages. Neutrophils are the most abundant type of white blood cell and are quickly mobilized to the site of infection. Macrophages are larger cells that patrol...