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Updated: May 17, 2026

Real-Time In Vitro Migration Assay for Primary Murine CD8+ T Cells
Published on: May 24, 2024
CD8 T cells induce T-bet-dependent migration toward CXCR3 ligands by differentiated B cells produced during responses
Karine Serre1, Adam F Cunningham, Ruth E Coughlan
1Medical Research Council Centre for Immune Regulation, University of Birmingham Medical School, Birmingham, United Kingdom. karine@kserre.net
Antibody-forming cells (AFCs) expressing the chemokine receptor CXCR3 are recruited to sites of inflammation where they help clear pathogens but may participate in autoimmune diseases. Here we identify a mechanism that induces CXCR3 expression by AFC and germinal center (GC) B cells. This happens when CD8 T cells are recruited into CD4 T cell-dependent B-cell responses. Ovalbumin-specific CD4 T cells (OTII) were transferred alone or with ovalbumin-specific CD8 T cells (OTI) and the response to subcutaneous alum-precipitated ovalbumin was followed in the draining lymph nodes. OTII cells alone induce T helper 2-associated class switching to IgG1, but few AFC or GC B cells express CXCR3. By contrast, OTI-derived IFN-γ induces most responding GC B cells and AFCs to express high levels of CXCR3, and diverse switching to IgG2a, IgG2b, with some IgG1. Up-regulation of CXCR3 by GC B cells and AFCs and their migration toward its ligand CXCL10 are shown to depend on B cells' intrinsic T-bet, a transcription factor downstream of the IFN-γR signaling. This model clarifies how precursors of long-lived AFCs and memory B cells acquire CXCR3 that causes their migration to inflammatory foci.
Antibody-forming cells (AFCs) expressing the chemokine receptor CXCR3 are recruited to sites of inflammation where they help clear pathogens but may participate in autoimmune diseases. Here we identify a mechanism that induces CXCR3 expression by AFC and germinal center (GC) B cells. This happens when CD8 T cells are recruited into CD4 T cell-dependent B-cell responses. Ovalbumin-specific CD4 T cells (OTII) were transferred alone or with ovalbumin-specific CD8 T cells (OTI) and the response to subcutaneous alum-precipitated ovalbumin was followed in the draining lymph nodes. OTII cells alone induce T helper 2-associated class switching to IgG1, but few AFC or GC B cells express CXCR3. By contrast, OTI-derived IFN-γ induces most responding GC B cells and AFCs to express high levels of CXCR3, and diverse switching to IgG2a, IgG2b, with some IgG1. Up-regulation of CXCR3 by GC B cells and AFCs and their migration toward its ligand CXCL10 are shown to depend on B cells' intrinsic T-bet, a transcription factor downstream of the IFN-γR signaling. This model clarifies how precursors of long-lived AFCs and memory B cells acquire CXCR3 that causes their migration to inflammatory foci.
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