Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1990
Keywords
antigen presentation, dendritic cell, immunogenicity, major histocompatibility complex restriction, t lymphocyte activation
Abstract
T cells recognize peptides that are bound to MHC molecules on the surface of different types of antigen-presenting cells (APC). Antigen presentation most often is studied using T cells that have undergone priming in situ, or cell lines that have been chronically stimulated in vitro. The use of primed cells provides sufficient numbers of antigen-reactive lymphocytes for experimental study. A more complete understanding of immunogenicity, however, requires that one develop systems for studying the onset of a T cell response from unprimed lymphocytes, especially in situ. Here it is shown that mouse T cells can be reliably primed in situ using dendritic cells as APC. The dendritic cells were isolated from spleen, pulsed with protein antigens, and then administered to naive mice. Antigen-responsive T cells developed in the draining lymphoid tissue, and these T cells only recognized protein when presented on cells bearing the sameMHC products as the original priming dendritic cells. In contrast, little or no priming was seen if antigen-pulsed spleen cells or peritoneal cells were injected. Since very small amounts of the foreign protein were visualized within endocytic vacuoles of antigen-pulsed dendritic cells, it is suggested that dendritic cells have a small but relevant vacuolar system for presenting antigens over a several day period in situ.
Recommended Citation
Inaba, K., J. P. Metlay, M. T. Crowley, and R. M. Steinman. 1990. "Dendritic Cells Pulsed with Protein Antigens in Vitro can Prime Antigen-Specific, MHC-Restricted T Cells in Situ." Journal of Experimental Medicine 172 (2): 631-640
Comments
Open Access