Related Experiment Videos
Contra: CD8+ T-cell-mediated suppression without 'suppressor' T cells?
R M Zinkernagel1, H Hengartner
1Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
This commentary argues that conventional antiviral cytotoxic T cells act suppressively by eliminating antigen-presenting cells, sometimes including lymphocytes, T or B cells expressing relevant antigens of exogenous or endogenous, most commonly of viral origin. They thereby limit expression of antigens, and by eliminating the antigen-expressing cells stop immune responses. However, to argue that induced T cells (or antibodies) function to eliminate or neutralize antigen is the shortest summary of immunology and neither new nor heretic.
This commentary argues that conventional antiviral cytotoxic T cells act suppressively by eliminating antigen-presenting cells, sometimes including lymphocytes, T or B cells expressing relevant antigens of exogenous or endogenous, most commonly of viral origin. They thereby limit expression of antigens, and by eliminating the antigen-expressing cells stop immune responses. However, to argue that induced T cells (or antibodies) function to eliminate or neutralize antigen is the shortest summary of immunology and neither new nor heretic.