Cutting Edge: Retinoic Acid Promotes Brain-homing of CD8+ T Cells during Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection.

ABSTRACT: The most common congenital viral infection is CMV, which leads to numerous neurologic disabilities. Using a mouse model of congenital CMV, we previously determined that Ag-specific CD8+ T cells traffic to the brain in a CCR9-dependent manner. The mechanism by which these CD8+ T cells acquire a CCR9-dependent "brain-tropic" phenotype remains unclear. In this study, we identify the key factor that imprints brain homing specificity on CD8+ T cells, the source of production, and the location where CCR9 expression is induced. Specifically, we discovered that CCR9 is induced on CD8+ T cells by retinoic acid-producing CD8α+ dendritic cells in the cervical lymph node postinfection. We found that retinoic acid is important for CD8+ T cells to establish tissue residency in the brain. Collectively, o

SUBMITTER: Hilt ZT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11529782 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature