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Nature Medicine 7, 807 - 813 (2001)
doi:10.1038/89930

Apoptotic cells overexpress vinculin and induce vinculin-specific cytotoxic T-cell cross-priming

Antonella Propato1,7, Giovanna Cutrona2,7, Vittorio Francavilla1, Massimo Ulivi2,3, Enrico Schiaffella1, Olfert Landt3, Rod Dunbar4, Vincenzo Cerundolo4, Manlio Ferrarini2,5,7 & Vincenzo Barnaba1,6

Here we show that apoptotic cells overexpress vinculin and are ingested by dendritic cells, which subsequently cross-prime vinculin-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). Successful cross-priming requires that the apoptotic cells provide maturation signals to dendritic cells through CD40–CD40 ligand (CD40L) interactions. If apoptotic cells are CD40L-, the help of a third T cell is needed for priming, indicating a regulatory role for apoptotic cells in determining priming or tolerance. Vinculin-specific CTL priming is also related to apoptosis in vivo, given that in HIV-seropositive individuals, the frequency of specific CTLs depends on the proportion of peripheral CD40L+ apoptotic cells.