Interleukin‐4‐induced loss of CD8 expression and cytolytic function in effector CD8 T cells persists long term in vivo. Issue 2 (23rd April 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Olver, Stuart; Apte, Simon H.; Baz, Adriana; Kelso, Anne; Kienzle, Norbert
• Is Part Of: Immunology. Volume 139:Issue 2(2013:Jun.)
• Page Start: 187
• Page End: 196
• Publication Date: 2013-04-23
• Subjects: Immunology -- Periodicals
• DOI: 10.1111/imm.12068
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0019-2805

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en" id="imm12068-abs-0001"> <title>Summary</title> <p>Activation of naive CD8⁺ T cells in the presence of interleukin‐4 modulates their CD8 co‐receptor expression and functional differentiation, resulting in the generation of CD8^low cells that produce type 2 cytokines and display poor cytolytic and anti‐tumour activity. Although this CD8^low phenotype becomes stable after about a week and can persist with further stimulation <italic>in vitro</italic>, it is not known whether it can be maintained long term <italic>in vivo</italic>. Here we report that CD8^low cells derived from oval‐bumin_257–264‐specific T‐cell receptor‐transgenic CD8⁺ T cells activated in the presence of interleukin‐4 could be detected in the spleen for at least 4 months after adoptive transfer into normal mice. A significant proportion of the long‐term surviving cells retained their CD8^low phenotype <italic>in vivo</italic> and after clonal re‐activation <italic>in vitro</italic>. Although long‐term surviving CD8^low cells lacked detectable cytolytic activity or perforin expression, they showed some anti‐tumour function <italic>in vivo</italic>. The persistence of functional cells with a CD8^low phenotype <italic>in vivo</italic> raises the possibility that such cells can contribute to effector or regulatory responses to tumours or pathogens.</p> </abstract>