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Impairment of immunological memory in the absence of MHC despite survival of memory T cells

Nature Immunology volume 3, pages 244–250 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

The mechanisms by which immunological memory is maintained after infection or vaccination are still a matter of debate. Long-term survival of memory T cells does not require major histocompatibility complex (MHC) contact. We show here that compared with memory CD4+ T cells that maintain contact with MHC class II, memory CD4+ T cells deprived of MHC class II contact show distinct functional defects upon antigen re-encounter. Thus, in contrast to their survival, maintenance of the typical quality of memory T cells crucially depends on MHC-derived signals.

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Figure 1: Survival of memory CD4+ T cells in the absence of MHC.
Figure 2: Memory CD4+ T cell homeostasis in the absence of MHC.
Figure 3: Impact of previous MHC contact on in vitro function of memory T cells.
Figure 4: Impact of previous MHC contact on in vivo response of memory T cells to naïve B cells.
Figure 5: Impact of previous MHC contact on rejection of minor allografts by memory T cells.
Figure 6: Phenotypic alterations of memory CD4+ T cells in the absence of MHC.

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Acknowledgements

We thank R. Zamoyska and D. Kioussis for critical comments on the manuscript; C. Atkins for cell sorting; and T. Norton and K. Williams for animal husbandry. Supported by the Wellcome Trust (G. K.).

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Author notes

  1. Sylvie Garcia

    Present address: Unité de Biologie des Populations Lymphocytaires, Institut Pasteur, Paris, Cedex 15, France

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Molecular Immunology, The National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, NW7 1AA, London, UK

    George Kassiotis, Sylvie Garcia & Brigitta Stockinger

  2. Transplantation Biology Group, MRC Clinical Sciences Center, Imperial College School of Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital, W12ONN, London, UK

    Elizabeth Simpson

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Correspondence to Brigitta Stockinger.

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Kassiotis, G., Garcia, S., Simpson, E. et al. Impairment of immunological memory in the absence of MHC despite survival of memory T cells. Nat Immunol 3, 244–250 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/ni766

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