In Vivo Killing Capacity of Cytotoxic T Cells Is Limited and Involves Dynamic Interactions and T Cell Cooperativity
According to in vitro assays, T cells are thought to kill rapidly and efficiently, but the efficacy and dynamics of cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL)-mediated killing of virus-infected cells in vivo remains elusive. We used two-photon microscopy to quantify CTL-mediated killing in mice infected with herp...
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Published in | Immunity (Cambridge, Mass.) Vol. 44; no. 2; pp. 233 - 245 |
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Main Authors | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
United States
Elsevier Inc
16.02.2016
Elsevier Limited Cell Press |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | According to in vitro assays, T cells are thought to kill rapidly and efficiently, but the efficacy and dynamics of cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL)-mediated killing of virus-infected cells in vivo remains elusive. We used two-photon microscopy to quantify CTL-mediated killing in mice infected with herpesviruses or poxviruses. On average, one CTL killed 2–16 virus-infected cells per day as determined by real-time imaging and by mathematical modeling. In contrast, upon virus-induced MHC class I downmodulation, CTLs failed to destroy their targets. During killing, CTLs remained migratory and formed motile kinapses rather than static synapses with targets. Viruses encoding the calcium sensor GCaMP6s revealed strong heterogeneity in individual CTL functional capacity. Furthermore, the probability of death of infected cells increased for those contacted by more than two CTLs, indicative of CTL cooperation. Thus, direct visualization of CTLs during killing of virus-infected cells reveals crucial parameters of CD8+ T cell immunity.
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•Two-photon imaging indicates that CTLs kill 2–16 virus-infected cells per day•CTLs form kinapses rather than stable synapses when killing virus-infected cells•Some CTL contacts trigger long-lasting calcium fluxes in virus-infected cells•CTLs can cooperate during killing of virus-infected cells
According to in vitro assays, T cells are thought to kill rapidly and efficiently. Using two-photon microscopy, Forster and colleagues have found that killing capacities of single cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) in vivo are heterogeneous and limited. Quantification of target-cell-death probabilities identified efficient cooperative killing when multiple CTLs attacked a virus-infected cell. |
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Bibliography: | ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 Present address: Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia Present address: Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany Present address: Octapharma Produktionsgesellschaft Deutschland mbH, 31832 Springe, Germany Present address: Merck Animal Health, Burgwedel Biotech GmbH, 30938 Burgwedel, Germany |
ISSN: | 1074-7613 1097-4180 |
DOI: | 10.1016/j.immuni.2016.01.010 |