Mature CD4+ T Cells Perceive a Positively Selecting Class II MHC/Peptide Complex in the Periphery

• Published in: The Journal of immunology (1950) Vol. 164; no. 6; pp. 3087 - 3094
• Main Authors: Muranski, Pawel, Chmielowski, Bartosz, Ignatowicz, Leszek
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Am Assoc Immnol 15-03-2000
• Subjects: Adoptive Transfer; Animals; Bone Marrow Transplantation - immunology; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - cytology; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - metabolism; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - radiation effects; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - transplantation; Cell Communication - immunology; Cell Differentiation - immunology; Cell Survival - immunology; Cell Survival - radiation effects; Histocompatibility Antigens Class II - biosynthesis; Histocompatibility Antigens Class II - immunology; Histocompatibility Antigens Class II - metabolism; Interphase - immunology; Ligands; Lymphocyte Activation; Mice; Mice, Congenic; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Peptides - immunology; Peptides - metabolism; Protein Binding - immunology; Radiation Chimera; Thymus Gland - cytology; Thymus Gland - immunology
• ISSN: 0022-1767; 1550-6606
• DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.164.6.3087

A repertoire of TCRs is selected in the thymus by interactions with MHC bound to self-derived peptides. Whether self peptides bound to MHC influence the survival of mature T cells in the periphery remains enigmatic. In this study, we show that the number of naive CD4+ T cells that developed in mice with class II MHC bound with endogenous peptides (Abwt) diminished when transferred into mice with Ab covalently bound with a single peptide (AbEp). Moreover, transfer of a mixture of naive CD4+ T cells derived from Abwt and from AbEp mice into AbEp mice resulted in the expansion of the latter and decline of the former. In contrast, when wild-type activated CD4+ T cells were transferred into AbEp or Abwt mice, these cells survived in both recipients for more than 4 wk, but further expanded in the Abwt host. We conclude that to survive, naive CD4+ T cells favor peripheral expression of the class II MHC/peptide complex(es) involved in their thymic selection, whereas some of activated CD4+ T cells may require them only for expansion.