Article abstract


Nature Immunology 8, 835 - 844 (2007)
Published online: 15 July 2007 | Corrected online: 19 October 2007 | doi:10.1038/ni1490



There is a Corrigendum (November 2007) associated with this Article.

Peptide-MHC potency governs dynamic interactions between T cells and dendritic cells in lymph nodes

Dimitris Skokos1, Guy Shakhar2,4, Rajat Varma2, Janelle C Waite2, Thomas O Cameron2, Randall L Lindquist1, Tanja Schwickert1, Michel C Nussenzweig1,3,5 & Michael L Dustin2,5


T cells survey antigen-presenting dendritic cells (DCs) by migrating through DC networks, arresting and maintaining contact with DCs for several hours after encountering high-potency complexes of peptide and major histocompatibility complex (pMHC), leading to T cell activation. The effects of low-potency pMHC complexes on T cells in vivo, however, are unknown, as is the mechanism controlling T cell arrest. Here we evaluated T cell responses in vivo to high-, medium- and low-potency pMHC complexes and found that regardless of potency, pMHC complexes induced upregulation of CD69, anergy and retention of T cells in lymph nodes. However, only high-potency pMHC complexes expressed by DCs induced calcium-dependent T cell deceleration and calcineurin-dependent anergy. The pMHC complexes of lower potency instead induced T cell anergy by a biochemically distinct process that did not affect T cell dynamics.

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  1. Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10021, USA.
  2. Program in Molecular Pathogenesis and Department of Pathology, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA.
  3. Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10021, USA.
  4. Present address: Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100, Israel.
  5. These authors contributed equally to this work.

Correspondence to: Michel C Nussenzweig1,3,5 e-mail: nussen@mail.rockefeller.edu

Correspondence to: Michael L Dustin2,5 e-mail: dustin@saturn.med.nyu.edu

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