Antigen non-specific activation of CD8+ T lymphocytes by cytokines: relevance to immunity, autoimmunity and cancer

• Authors: S. Ramanathan , J. Gagnon , S. Ilangumaran
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Development of T lymphocytes and their survival in the periphery are dependent on signals emanating from cytokine receptors as well as the T cell antigen receptor (TCR). These two signaling pathways play distinct and complementary roles at various stages of T cell development, maturation, survival, activation and differentiation. During immune response to foreign antigens initiated by TCR signaling, cytokines play a key role in the expansion of activated T cells. Even though the initial activation of T cells occurs via the TCR, this requirement can be overcome under certain circumstances. During lymphopenia, cytokines trigger memory CD8+ T cells to undergo antigen non-specific homeostatic expansion, whereas na?ve CD8+ T cells require both cytokines and TCR signaling. Recent reports show certain combinations of cytokines can induce proliferation and effector functions of na?ve CD8+ T cells without concomitant stimulation via the TCR. While such antigen non-specific stimulation of na?ve T cells might significantly boost the adaptive immune response, it could also have an undesirable effect of triggering potentially autoreactive cells. Understanding the mechanisms and the regulation of cytokine-driven stimulation of na?ve CD8+ T cells may lead to novel strategies of intervention for autoimmune diseases. On the other hand, in vitro expansion of na?ve CD8+ T cells by certain combinations of cytokines could be used to generate tumor-specific cells with ideal properties for cellular immunotherapy of cancer.

Keywords

EN

AUTOIMMUNITY; CANCER; CYTOKINE; IMMUNE RESPONSE; LYMPHOCYTE

Discipline

• IMMUNOLOGY: IMMUNOLOGY

• Publisher: Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences
• Journal: Archivum Immunologiae et Therapiae Experimentalis
• Year: 2008
• Volume: 56
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 311-323

Contributors

author

S. Ramanathan

author

J. Gagnon

author

S. Ilangumaran

• Document Type: REVIEW
• Publication order reference: Subburaj Ilangumaran, Ph.D., Immunology Division, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, 3001 North, 12th Avenue, Sherbrooke, J1H 5N4, Quebec, Canada