T cell receptor sharing by cytotoxic T lymphocytes facilitates efficient virus control.

ABSTRACT: A remarkable feature of the adaptive immune system is the speed at which small numbers of antigen-specific lymphocytes can mediate a successful immune response. Rapid expansion of T and B lymphocyte clones that have receptors specific for a particular antigen is one of the primary means by which a swift response is generated. Although much of this clonal expansion is caused by the division of antigen-specific cells, here we demonstrate an additional mechanism by which the pool of effector T cells against a viral infection can quickly enlarge. Our data show that virus-specific CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) can transfer their T cell receptors (TCR) to recipient CTL of an unrelated specificity that, as a consequence, gain the antigen specificity of the donor T cell. This process occurs w

SUBMITTER: Chaudhri G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2736460 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature