The Roles of CD8 Central and Effector Memory T-Cell Subsets in Allograft Rejection

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-6143.2008.02335.xGet rights and content
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The contribution of secondary lymphoid tissue-homing central memory T cells (TCM) and peripheral tissue-homing effector memory T cells (TEM) to allograft rejection is not known. We tested whether TEM is the principal subset responsible for allograft rejection due to the nonlymphoid location of target antigens. Skin allograft rejection was studied after transferring either CD8 TCM or TEM to wild-type mice and to mice that lack secondary lymphoid tissues. We found that CD8 TCM and TEM were equally effective at rejecting allografts in wild-type hosts. However, CD8 TEM were significantly better than TCM at rejecting allografts in the absence of secondary lymphoid tissues. CD8 TCM were dependent upon secondary lymphoid tissues more than TEM for optimal differentiation into effectors that migrate into the allograft. Recall of either CD8 TCM or TEM led to accumulation of TEM after allograft rejection. These findings indicate that either CD8 TCM or TEM mediate allograft rejection but TEM have an advantage over TCM in immune surveillance of peripheral tissues, including transplanted organs.

Key words

Memory
T cells
transplantation

Abbreviations

aly
alymphoplasia
TCM
central memory
TEM
effector memory

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