Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 30, 2026

Murine Superficial Lymph Node Surgery
Published on: May 21, 2012
CD4+ T cell-independent maintenance and expansion of memory CD8+ T cells derived from in vitro dendritic cell
1Research Unit, Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 20 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Canada S7N 4H4.
Abstract:
CD4+ T cells are essential for the maintenance of CD8+ memory T (Tm) cells following acute infection, but the importance of CD4+ T cells for the maintenance and expansion of CD8+ Tm cells to non-infectious antigens remains mostly unknown. Here, we showed that ovalbumin (OVA)-specific CD8+ Tm cell precursors derived from in vitro stimulation of TCR transgenic OT I CD8+ T cells with OVA protein-pulsed bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (DCOVA) can give rise to functional CD8+ Tm cells after adoptively transferred into mice. These CD8+ Tm cells can be maintained and remain fully functional in CD4+ T cell-absent environments in vivo. Furthermore, CD4+ T cells are not essential for the expansion of these CD8+ Tm cells. Finally, these in vitro DCOVA-activated CD8+ Tm cells maintained in CD4-deficient mice are also able to confer fully protective immunity against a later challenge of OVA-expressing tumor cells. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that in contrast to acute infections, maintenance and expansion of CD8+ Tm cells after priming with OVA protein-pulsed dendritic cells are independent of CD4+ T cells.
Related Concept Videos
Cell-mediated Immune Responses
Cells of the Adaptive Immune Response
T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection
Naive T cells that have not yet encountered an antigen express two primary CD...
T Cell Types and Functions
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...
Immunological Memory
What is Immunological Memory?
Immunological memory is an integral function of the immune system that allows it to recognize and react more rapidly and effectively to pathogens previously encountered. This feature is...
Vaccines

