Improved Functionality of Exhausted Intrahepatic CXCR5+ CD8+ T Cells Contributes to Chronic Antigen Clearance Upon Immunomodulation.

ABSTRACT: Chronic hepatotropic viral infections are characterized by exhausted CD8+ T cells in the presence of cognate antigen in the liver. The impairment of T cell response limits the control of chronic hepatotropic viruses. Immune-modulatory strategies are attractive options to re-invigorate exhausted T cells. However, in hepatotropic viral infections, the knowledge about immune-modulatory effects on the in-situ regulation of exhausted intrahepatic CD8+ T cells is limited. In this study, we elucidated the functional heterogeneity in the pool of exhausted CD8+ T cells in the liver of mice expressing the model antigen Ova in a fraction of hepatocytes. We found a subpopulation of intrahepatic CXCR5+ Ova-specific CD8+ T cells, which are profoundly cytotoxic, exhibiting efficient metabolic functions a

SUBMITTER: Kumashie KG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7886981 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature