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Naive alloreactive CD8 T cells are activated by purified major histocompatibility complex class I and antigenic
J Goldstein1, H Mostowsky, J Tung
1Division of Monoclonal Antibodies, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
Abstract:
In this report, we demonstrate stimulation of T cell receptor (TCR) transgenic CD8 T cells by isolated major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I H-2Ld complexes and antigenic peptide. This is the first demonstration of CD8 T cells activated by MHC and antigenic peptide in the absence of antigen priming. Furthermore, isolated MHC and a potent peptide antigen can stimulate phenotypically naive CD44- T cells to become CTL effectors and to produce interleukin-2 in nanogram per milliliter amounts. These results demonstrate that particular TCR antigen pairs may overcome the need for specialized antigen-presenting cells and have implications for mechanisms of autoimmunity and tolerance induction.