Intercellular adhesion molecule-1-dependent stable interactions between T cells and dendritic cells determine CD8+ T cell memory

Real-time analysis of T cell receptors in naive cells in vitro and in vivo reveals flexibility in synapse and signaling dynamics

Real-time imaging defines the dynamics of TCR and T cell motility during early T cell activation in lymph nodes.

The real-time dynamics of the T cell receptor (TCR) reflect antigen detection and T cell signaling, providing valuable insight into the evolving events of the immune response. Despite considerable advances in studying TCR dynamics in simplified systems in vitro, live imaging of subcellular signaling complexes expressed at physiological densities in intact tissues has been challenging. In this study, we generated a transgenic mouse with a TCR fused to green fluorescent protein to provide insight into the early signaling events of the immune response. To enable imaging of TCR dynamics in naive T cells in the lymph node, we enhanced signal detection of the fluorescent TCR fusion protein and used volumetric masking with a second fluorophore to mark the T cells expressing the fluorescent TCR. These in vivo analyses and parallel experiments in vitro show minimal and transient incorporation of TCRs into a stable central supramolecular activating cluster (cSMAC) structure but strong evidence for rapid, antigen-dependent TCR internalization that was not contingent on T cell motility arrest or cSMAC formation. Short-lived antigen-independent TCR clustering was also occasionally observed. These in vivo observations demonstrate that varied TCR trafficking and cell arrest dynamics occur during early T cell activation.

Directing dendritic cell immunotherapy towards successful cancer treatment

The use of dendritic cells (DCs) for tumor immunotherapy represents a powerful approach for harnessing the patient's own immune system to eliminate tumor cells. However, suboptimal conditions for generating potent immunostimulatory DCs, as well as the induction of tolerance and suppression mediated by the tumors and its microenvironment have contributed to limited success. Combining DC vaccines with new approaches that enhance immunogenicity and overcome the regulatory mechanisms underlying peripheral tolerance may be the key to achieving effective and durable anti-tumor immune responses that translate to better clinical outcomes.

Epitope density influences CD8+ memory T cell differentiation

Background

The generation of long-lived memory T cells is critical for successful vaccination but the factors controlling their differentiation are still poorly defined. We tested the hypothesis that the strength of T cell receptor (TCR) signaling contributed to memory CD8⁺ T cell generation.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We manipulated the density of antigenic epitope presented by dendritic cells to mouse naïve CD8⁺ T cells, without varying TCR affinity. Our results show that a two-fold decrease in antigen dose selectively affects memory CD8⁺ T cell generation without influencing T cell expansion and acquisition of effector functions. Moreover, we show that low antigen dose alters the duration of the interaction between T cells and dendritic cells and finely tunes the expression level of the transcription factors Eomes and Bcl6. Furthermore, we demonstrate that priming with higher epitope density results in a 2-fold decrease in the expression of Neuron-derived orphan nuclear receptor 1 (Nor-1) and this correlates with a lower level of conversion of Bcl-2 into a pro-apoptotic molecule and an increased number of memory T cells.

Conclusions

Our results show that the amount of antigen encountered by naïve CD8⁺ T cells following immunization with dendritic cells does not influence the generation of functional effector CD8⁺ T cells but rather the number of CD8⁺ memory T cells that persist in the host. Our data support a model where antigenic epitope density sensed by CD8⁺ T cells at priming influences memory generation by modulating Bcl6, Eomes and Nor-1 expression.

Nonhematopoietic antigen blocks memory programming of alloreactive CD8+ T cells and drives their eventual exhaustion in mouse models of bone marrow transplantation

Allogeneic blood or BM transplantation (BMT) is the most commonly applied form of adoptive cellular therapy for cancer. In this context, the ability of donor T cells to respond to recipient antigens is coopted to generate graft-versus-tumor (GVT) responses. The major reason for treatment failure is tumor recurrence, which is linked to the eventual loss of functional, host-specific CTLs. In this study, we have explored the role of recipient antigen expression by nonhematopoietic cells in the failure to sustain effective CTL immunity. Using clinically relevant models, we found that nonhematopoietic antigen severely disrupts the formation of donor CD8+ T cell memory at 2 distinct levels that operate in the early and late phases of the response. First, initial and direct encounters between donor CD8+ T cells and nonhematopoietic cells blocked the programming of memory precursors essential for establishing recall immunity. Second, surviving CD8+ T cells became functionally exhausted with heightened expression of the coinhibitory receptor programmed death-1 (PD-1). These 2 factors acted together to induce even more profound failure in long-term immunosurveillance. Crucially, the functions of exhausted CD8+ T cells could be partially restored by late in vivo blockade of the interaction between PD-1 and its ligand, PD-L1, without induction of graft-versus-host disease, suggestive of a potential clinical strategy to prevent or treat relapse following allogeneic BMT.

Visualizing the functional diversification of CD8+ T cell responses in lymph nodes

CD8(+) T cell responses generate effector cells endowed with distinct functional potentials but the contribution of early events in this process is unclear. Here, we have imaged T cells expressing a fluorescent reporter for the activation of the interferon-γ (IFN-γ) locus during priming in lymph nodes. We have demonstrated marked differences in the efficiency of gene activation during stable T cell-dentritic cell (DC) contacts, influenced in part by signal strength. Imaging the first cell division, we have demonstrated that heterogeneity in T cell functional potential was largely apparent as T cells initiated clonal expansion. Moreover, by analyzing the fate of single activated T cells ex vivo, we have provided evidence that these early differences resulted in clonal progenies with distinct functional properties. Thus, the early set of T cell-DC interactions in lymph nodes largely contribute to the heterogeneity of T cell responses through the generation of functionally divergent clonal progenies.

Duration of antigen receptor signaling determines T-cell tolerance or activation

The early events that determine the decision between lymphocyte tolerance and activation are not well-understood. Using a model of systemic self-antigen recognition by CD4(+) T cells, we show, using single-cell biochemical analyses, that tolerance is characterized by transient signaling events downstream of T-cell receptor engagement in the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and NF-κB pathways. Parallel studies done by live cell imaging show that the key difference between tolerance and activation is the duration of the T cell-antigen presenting cell (APC) interaction, as revealed by stable T-cell immobilization on antigen encounter. Brief T cell-APC interactions result in tolerance, and prolonged interactions are associated with activation and the development of effector cells. These studies show that the duration of T cell-APC interactions and magnitude of associated TCR-mediated signaling are key determinants of lymphocyte tolerance vs. activation.

Understanding the structure and function of the immunological synapse

The immunological synapse has been an area of very active scientific interest over the last decade. Surprisingly, much about the synapse remains unknown or is controversial. Here we review some of these current issues in the field: how the synapse is defined, its potential role in T-cell function, and our current understanding about how the synapse is formed.

Proline-rich tyrosine kinase-2 is critical for CD8 T-cell short-lived effector fate

T-cell interactions with antigen-presenting cells are important for CD8 T-cell effector or memory fate determination. The integrin leukocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) mediates T-cell adhesion but the contribution of LFA-1-induced signaling pathways to T-cell responses is poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that proline-rich tyrosine kinase-2 (PYK2) deficiency impairs CD8 T-cell activation by synergistic LFA-1 and T-cell receptor stimulation. Furthermore, PYK2 is essential for LFA-1-mediated CD8 T-cell adhesion and LFA-1 costimulation of CD8 T-cell migration. During lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection in vivo, PYK2 deficiency results in a specific loss of short-lived effector CD8 T cells but does not affect memory-precursor CD8 T-cell development. Similarly, lack of LFA-1 primarily impairs the generation of short-lived effector cells. Thus, PYK2 facilitates LFA-1-dependent CD8 T-cell responses and promotes CD8 T-cell short-lived effector fate, suggesting that PYK2 may be an interesting therapeutic target to suppress exacerbated CD8 T-cell responses.

Rapid generation of maturationally synchronized human dendritic cells: contribution to the clinical efficacy of extracorporeal photochemotherapy

Extracorporeal photochemotherapy (ECP) is widely used to treat cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, graft-versus-host disease, and allografted organ rejection. Its clinical and experimental efficacy in cancer immunotherapy and autoreactive disorders suggests a novel mechanism. This study reveals that ECP induces a high percentage of processed monocytes to enter the antigen-presenting dendritic cell (DC) differentiation pathway, within a single day, without added cytokines, as determined by enhanced expression of relevant genes. The resulting DCs are capable of processing and presentation of exogenous and endogenous antigen and are largely maturationally synchronized, as assessed by the level of expression of costimulatory surface molecules. Principal component analysis of the ECP-induced monocyte transcriptome reveals that activation or suppression of more than 1100 genes produces a reproducible distinctive molecular signature, common to ECP-processed monocytes from normal subjects, and those from patients. Because ECP induces normal monocytes to enter the DC differentiation pathway, this phenomenon is independent of disease state. The efficiency with which ECP stimulates new functional DCs supports the possibility that these cells participate prominently in the clinical successes of the treatment. Appropriately modified by future advances, ECP may potentially offer a general source of therapeutic DCs.

Dynamics of dendritic cell-T cell interactions: a role in T cell outcome

Antigen-specific dendritic cells (DC)-T cell encounters occur in lymph nodes (LNs) and are essential for the induction of both priming and tolerance. In both cases, T cells are rapidly activated and proliferate. However, the subsequent outcome of T cell activation depends on the modulation of different DC- and T cell-intrinsic signals. Recent advances in two-photon (2P) microscopy have furthered our understanding regarding the complex choreography of DCs and T cells in intact LNs, and established differences in the dynamics of DC-T cell contacts during priming and tolerance induction. The mechanisms that favour DC-T cell encounters, as well as the contribution of the frequency and the duration of such encounters in dictating the T cell response, are discussed in this review.

Lowering TCR expression on naive CD8+ T cells does not affect memory T-cell differentiation

The generation of long-lived memory T (Tm) cells is critical for the success of vaccination, but the factors controlling their differentiation are still poorly defined. We examined the hypothesis that the level of T-cell receptor (TCR) engagement contributed to memory CD8(+) T-cell generation. By manipulating TCR expression levels on murine, naive ovalbumin (OVA)-specific CD8(+) T cells, we showed that the expansion of antigen (Ag)-specific CD8(+) T cells is minimally affected by the level of TCR expression. Indeed, naive CD8(+) T cells expressing as little as a 1000 TCRs (30-fold less) show only a 2.5-fold reduction in the number of effectors generated. Furthermore, the TCR expression levels influenced neither the acquisition of effector functions nor the generation of functional Tm cells. Our data indicate that during an in vivo immune response, a threshold in the number of TCRs engaged by naive CD8(+) T cells is required for full T-cell expansion but not for their differentiation into effector and Tm cells.

LFA-1 activity state on dendritic cells regulates contact duration with T cells and promotes T-cell priming

A key event in the successful induction of adaptive immune responses is the antigen-specific activation of T cells by dendritic cells (DCs). Although LFA-1 (lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1) on T cells is considered to be important for antigen-specific T-cell activation, the role for LFA-1 on DCs remains elusive. Using 2 different approaches to activate LFA-1 on DCs, either by deletion of the αL-integrin cytoplasmic GFFKR sequence or by silencing cytohesin-1-interacting protein, we now provide evidence that DCs are able to make use of active LFA-1 and can thereby control the contact duration with naive T cells. Enhanced duration of DC/T-cell interaction correlates inversely with antigen-specific T-cell proliferation, generation of T-helper 1 cells, and immune responses leading to delayed-type hypersensitivity. We could revert normal interaction time and T-cell proliferation to wild-type levels by inhibition of active LFA-1 on DCs. Our data further suggest that cytohesin-1-interacting protein might be responsible for controlling LFA-1 deactivation on mature DCs. In summary, our findings indicate that LFA-1 on DCs needs to be in an inactive state to ensure optimal T-cell activation and suggest that regulation of LFA-1 activity allows DCs to actively control antigen-driven T-cell proliferation and effective immune responses.

Asymmetric cell division of T cells upon antigen presentation uses multiple conserved mechanisms

Asymmetric cell division is a potential means by which cell fate choices during an immune response are orchestrated. Defining the molecular mechanisms that underlie asymmetric division of T cells is paramount for determining the role of this process in the generation of effector and memory T cell subsets. In other cell types, asymmetric cell division is regulated by conserved polarity protein complexes that control the localization of cell fate determinants and spindle orientation during division. We have developed a tractable, in vitro model of naive CD8(+) T cells undergoing initial division while attached to dendritic cells during Ag presentation to investigate whether similar mechanisms might regulate asymmetric division of T cells. Using this system, we show that direct interactions with APCs provide the cue for polarization of T cells. Interestingly, the immunological synapse disseminates before division even though the T cells retain contact with the APC. The cue from the APC is translated into polarization of cell fate determinants via the polarity network of the Par3 and Scribble complexes, and orientation of the mitotic spindle during division is orchestrated by the partner of inscuteable/G protein complex. These findings suggest that T cells have selectively adapted a number of evolutionarily conserved mechanisms to generate diversity through asymmetric cell division.

LFA-1 defect-induced effector/memory CD8+ T cell apoptosis is mediated via Bcl-2/Caspase pathways and associated with downregulation of CD27 and IL-15R

LFA-1 signaling is required for the generation of central memory CD8(+) T cells in priming phase. However, its role for effector and memory CD8(+) T cell survival in transition and maintenance phases is elusive. We transferred effector and memory CD8(+) T cells into C57BL/6 and CD54(-/-) mice, which were generated by cultivation of ovalbumin (OVA)-pulsed dendritic cells (DC(OVA)) with naïve CD8(+) T cells derived from transgenic OT I mice and purified from effector CD8(+) T cell-transferred C57BL/6 mice, respectively. We then assessed kinetics of T cell survival using PE-H2-K(b)/OVAI tetramer and FITC-CD8 staining by flow cytometry. We found that survival of transferred effector and memory CD8(+) T cells in CD54(-/-) mice significantly decreased (p<0.05) compared to that in C57BL/6 mice due to an increased T cell apoptosis, which is mediated via downregulation of proapoptotic Bid, anti-apoptotic Bcl-2, Bcl-X(L) and pro-Caspase-8, and up-regulation of apoptotic Bax and cleaved Caspase-3 and -7 by RNA array and Western blotting analyses. Decreased expression of CD27 and IL-15R on transferred CD8(+) T cells with less survival was found to be associated with increased T cell apoptosis, which was confirmed by silencing CD27 with siRNA transfection or using CD8(+) (IL-15R(-/-))T cells for adoptive transfer into C57BL/6 mice. These data indicate that LFA-1 signal defect-induced CD8(+) T cell apoptosis is associated with reduced CD27 costimulation and IL-15R survival signal. Therefore, our study provides important evidence on and elucidates the molecular mechanism associated with the role LFA-1 signaling plays in effector and memory CD8(+) T cell survival.

Functional anatomy of T cell activation and synapse formation

T cell activation and function require a structured engagement of antigen-presenting cells. These cell contacts are characterized by two distinct dynamics in vivo: transient contacts resulting from promigratory junctions called immunological kinapses or prolonged contacts from stable junctions called immunological synapses. Kinapses operate in the steady state to allow referencing to self-peptide-MHC (pMHC) and searching for pathogen-derived pMHC. Synapses are induced by T cell receptor (TCR) interactions with agonist pMHC under specific conditions and correlate with robust immune responses that generate effector and memory T cells. High-resolution imaging has revealed that the synapse is highly coordinated, integrating cell adhesion, TCR recognition of pMHC complexes, and an array of activating and inhibitory ligands to promote or prevent T cell signaling. In this review, we examine the molecular components, geometry, and timing underlying kinapses and synapses. We integrate recent molecular and physiological data to provide a synthesis and suggest ways forward.

Plasticity in programming of effector and memory CD8 T-cell formation

CD8(+) T cells (also called cytotoxic T lymphocytes) play a major role in protective immunity against many infectious pathogens and can eradicate malignant cells. The path from naive precursor to effector and memory CD8(+) T-cell development begins with interactions between matured antigen-bearing dendritic cells (DCs) and antigen-specific naive T-cell clonal precursors. By integrating differences in antigenic, costimulatory, and inflammatory signals, a developmental program is established that governs many key parameters associated with the ensuing response, including the extent and magnitude of clonal expansion, the functional capacities of the effector cells, and the size of the memory pool that survives after the contraction phase. In this review, we discuss the multitude of signals that drive effector and memory CD8(+) T-cell differentiation and how the differences in the nature of these signals contribute to the diversity of CD8(+) T-cell responses.

Shaping successful and unsuccessful CD8 T cell responses following infection

CD8 T cells play a vital role in the immunological protection against intracellular pathogens. Ideally, robust effector responses are induced, which eradicate the pathogen, and durable memory CD8 T cells are also established, which help confer protection against subsequent reinfection. The quality and magnitude of these responses is dictated by multiple factors, including their initial interactions with professional antigen-presenting cells, as well as the cytokine milieu and availability of CD4 T cell help. These factors set the transcriptional landscape of the responding T cells, which in turn influences their phenotypic and functional attributes as well as ultimate fate. Under certain conditions, such as during chronic infections, the development of these usually successful responses becomes subverted. Here we discuss advances in our understanding of the cellular and molecular determinants of T cell quality, and the formation of effector, memory, and exhausted CD8 T cells, during acute and chronic infections.

Diversity in T cell memory: an embarrassment of riches

The adaptive immune response meets the needs of the organism to generate effector cells capable of controlling pathogens but also leads to production of memory cells, which mediate more effective protection during rechallenge. In this review, we focus on the generation, maintenance, and function of memory T cells, with a special emphasis on the increasing evidence for great diversity among functional memory T cell subsets.

NK cell patrolling and elimination of donor-derived dendritic cells favor indirect alloreactivity

Direct presentation of foreign MHC molecules expressed by donor-derived dendritic cells (DCs) has generally been considered the dominant pathway of allorecognition in acute transplant rejection. However, recent studies implicate preferential activation of the indirect pathway by host DCs. The respective importance of each pathway and the mechanisms that determine their relative contributions remain to be clearly established. In this study, using two-photon microscopy, we visualized host NK cell interactions with syngeneic and allogeneic DCs within intact lymph nodes of mice. Upon contact with allogeneic DCs, NK cells formed prolonged interactions that led directly to target cell lysis. This rapid elimination limited the ability of allogeneic DCs to stimulate primary and recall T cell responses. To discriminate whether donor or host DCs are principally involved in presenting Ag derived from allografts, we used CD11c-diphtheria toxoid receptor mice to conditionally ablate CD11c(+) DCs and to show that direct presentation by donor DCs is alone insufficient to elicit acute allograft rejection. We thus propose that rapid elimination of allogeneic DCs limits direct Ag presentation and thereby favors the indirect pathway of alloreactivity.

Foxp3+ T cells induce perforin-dependent dendritic cell death in tumor-draining lymph nodes

Regulatory T (Treg) cells limit the onset of effective antitumor immunity, through yet-ill-defined mechanisms. We showed the rejection of established ovalbumin (OVA)-expressing MCA101 tumors required both the adoptive transfer of OVA-specific CD8(+) T cell receptor transgenic T cells (OTI) and the neutralization of Foxp3(+) T cells. In tumor-draining lymph nodes, Foxp3(+) T cell neutralization induced a marked arrest in the migration of OTI T cells, increased numbers of dendritic cells (DCs), and enhanced OTI T cell priming. Using an in vitro cytotoxic assay and two-photon live microscopy after adoptive transfer of DCs, we demonstrated that Foxp3(+) T cells induced the death of DCs in tumor-draining lymph nodes, but not in the absence of tumor. DC death correlated with Foxp3(+) T cell-DC contacts, and it was tumor-antigen and perforin dependent. We conclude that Foxp3(+) T cell-dependent DC death in tumor-draining lymph nodes limits the onset of CD8(+) T cell responses.

Insights into function of the immunological synapse from studies with supported planar bilayers

Innate and adaptive immunity is dependent upon reliable cell-cell communication mediated by direct interactions of cell surface receptors with ligands integrated into the surface of apposing cells or bound directly to the surface as in complement deposition or antibody mediated recognition through Fc receptors. Supported lipid bilayers formed on glass surfaces offer a useful model system in which to explore some basic features of molecular interactions in immunological relevant contacts, which include signal integration and effector functions through immunological synapses and kinapses. We have exploited that lateral mobility of molecules in the supported planar bilayers and fluorescence microscopy to develop a system for measurement of two-dimensional affinities and kinetic rates in the contact area, which is of immunological interest. Affinity measurements are based on a modified Scatchard analysis. Measurements of kinetic rates are based on fluorescence photo bleaching after recovery at the level of the entire contact area. This has been coupled to a reaction-diffusion equation that allows calculation of on- and off-rates. We have found that mixtures of ligands in supported planar bilayers can effectively activate T lymphocytes and simultaneously allow monitoring of the immunological synapse. Recent studies in planar bilayers have provided additional insights into organization principles of cell-cell interfaces. Perennial problems in understanding cell-cell communication are yielding quantitative measurements based on planar bilayers in areas of ligand-driven receptor clustering and the role of the actin cytoskeleton in immune cell activation. A major goal for the field is determining quantitative rules involved in signaling complex formation by innate and adaptive receptor systems.

Immunological synapses within context: patterns of cell-cell communication and their application in T-T interactions

The cell-biology of intercellular communication between T cells and their partners has been greatly advanced over the past 10 years. The key morphological and motility features of cell contact-based communication between T cells and APCs can now be seen as a collection of patterns for cell-cell interactions amongst immune cells more generally, each serving to contribute to the outcome of the contact both locally and globally. Here we review the conservation of these patterns, amongst which is the emergent "immunological synapse," and describe a newly defined example, formed between the adjacent activating T cells. We subsequently seek to put these and the pattern more generally into the framework of system-wide behavior of the immune system. We postulate that the patterns are fine-tuned to provide quorum-like decisions by collections of activating and activated cells that interact over time and space.

APC, T cells, and the immune synapse

CD4(+) T cells engage different activating cells during their generation in the bone marrow and thymus and during their homeostasis and activation in the periphery. During these processes, T cells or their precursors establish a molecular platform for communication in the interface between the two cells that is called immune synapse (IS). Here we review the current knowledge about those different IS. Apart from looking at the structure and signalling of the IS from the T cell region, we will also focus on the area of the IS partner, mostly antigen-presenting cells (APC). We will discuss the features of different APC and their role played in the control of the resulting activated or differentiated T cell. We will also demonstrate that despite 10 years of research into the subject, large areas of this field are yet to be explored. This will keep us busy for the years to come - new exciting results lie ahead of us.

The SCHOOL of nature: I. Transmembrane signaling

Receptor-mediated transmembrane signaling plays an important role in health and disease. Recent significant advances in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms linking ligand binding to receptor activation revealed previously unrecognized striking similarities in the basic structural principles of function of numerous cell surface receptors. In this work, I demonstrate that the Signaling Chain Homooligomerization (SCHOOL)-based mechanism represents a general biological mechanism of transmembrane signal transduction mediated by a variety of functionally unrelated single- and multichain activating receptors. within the SCHOOL platform, ligand binding-induced receptor clustering is translated across the membrane into protein oligomerization in cytoplasmic milieu. This platform resolves a long-standing puzzle in transmembrane signal transduction and reveals the major driving forces coupling recognition and activation functions at the level of protein-protein interactions-biochemical processes that can be influenced and controlled. The basic principles of transmembrane signaling learned from the SCHOOL model can be used in different fields of immunology, virology, molecular and cell biology and others to describe, explain and predict various phenomena and processes mediated by a variety of functionally diverse and unrelated receptors. Beyond providing novel perspectives for fundamental research, the platform opens new avenues for drug discovery and development.

Dock8 mutations cripple B cell immunological synapses, germinal centers and long-lived antibody production

To identify genes and mechanisms involved in humoral immunity, we did a mouse genetic screen for mutations that do not affect the first wave of antibody to immunization but disrupt response maturation and persistence. The first two mutants identified had loss-of-function mutations in the gene encoding a previously obscure member of a family of Rho-Rac GTP-exchange factors, DOCK8. DOCK8-mutant B cells were unable to form marginal zone B cells or to persist in germinal centers and undergo affinity maturation. Dock8 mutations disrupted accumulation of the integrin ligand ICAM-1 in the B cell immunological synapse but did not alter other aspects of B cell antigen receptor signaling. Humoral immunodeficiency due to Dock8 mutation provides evidence that organization of the immunological synapse is critical for signaling the survival of B cell subsets required for long-lasting immunity.

A dynamic map of antigen recognition by CD4 T cells at the site of Leishmania major infection

CD4 T helper cells play a central role in the control of infection by intracellular parasites. How efficiently pathogen-specific CD4 T cells detect infected cells in vivo is unclear. Here, we employed intravital two-photon imaging to examine the behavior of pathogen-specific CD4 T cells at the site of Leishmania major infection. While activated CD4 T cells enter the inflamed tissue irrespective of their antigen specificity, pathogen-specific T cells preferentially decelerated and accumulated in infected regions of the dermis. Antigen recognition by CD4 T cells was heterogeneous, involving both stable and dynamic contacts with infected phagocytes. However, not all infected cells induced arrest or deceleration of pathogen-specific T cells, and dense clusters of infected cells were poorly accessible to migrating T cells. Thus, disparities in the dynamics of T cell contacts with infected cells and local variation in T cell access to infected cells are important elements of the host-pathogen interplay.

Interactions between PD-1 and PD-L1 promote tolerance by blocking the TCR-induced stop signal

Programmed death 1 (PD-1) is an inhibitory molecule expressed on activated T cells; however, the biological context in which PD-1 controls T cell tolerance remains unclear. Using two-photon laser-scanning microscopy, we show here that unlike naive or activated islet antigen-specific T cells, tolerized islet antigen-specific T cells moved freely and did not swarm around antigen-bearing dendritic cells (DCs) in pancreatic lymph nodes. Inhibition of T cell antigen receptor (TCR)-driven stop signals depended on continued interactions between PD-1 and its ligand, PD-L1, as antibody blockade of PD-1 or PD-L1 resulted in lower T cell motility, enhanced T cell-DC contacts and caused autoimmune diabetes. Blockade of the immunomodulatory receptor CTLA-4 did not alter T cell motility or abrogate tolerance. Thus, PD-1-PD-L1 interactions maintain peripheral tolerance by mechanisms fundamentally distinct from those of CTLA-4.

Characterization of preexisting MAGE-A3-specific CD4+ T cells in cancer patients and healthy individuals and their activation by protein vaccination

Vaccination with cancer/testis Ag MAGE-A3 in the form of recombinant protein often induces specific humoral and cellular immune responses. Although Ag-specific CD4+ T cells following vaccination are detectable by cytokine production after a single in vitro stimulation, their detection before vaccination is difficult because of low frequency. In this study, we have applied a sensitive method using CD154 (CD40L) staining to detect MAGE-A3-specific CD4+ T cells. MAGE-A3-specific T cell responses were analyzed in four healthy donors, two lung cancer patients with spontaneous serum Abs to MAGE-A3, and two baseline seronegative lung cancer patients throughout vaccination with MAGE-A3 protein. MAGE-A3-specific CD4+ T cells were detected in all individuals tested, at low frequency in healthy donors and seronegative cancer patients and higher frequency in patients seropositive for MAGE-A3. Polyclonal expansion of CD154-expressing CD4+ T cells after cell sorting generated a large number of MAGE-A3-specific CD4+ T cell lines from all individuals tested, enabling full characterization of peptide specificity, HLA-restriction, and avidity. Application of this method to cancer patients vaccinated with MAGE-A3 protein with or without adjuvant revealed that protein vaccination induced oligoclonal activation of MAGE-A3-specific CD4+ T cells. It appeared that MAGE-A3 protein vaccination in the presence of adjuvant selectively expanded high avidity CD4+ T cells, whereas high avidity T cells disappeared after multiple vaccinations with MAGE-A3 protein alone.

Memory-like CD8+ T cells generated during homeostatic proliferation defer to antigen-experienced memory cells

Naive T cells proliferate in response to lymphopenia and acquire the phenotypic and functional qualities of memory T cells, providing enhanced protection against infection. How well memory-like T cells generated during lymphopenia-induced homeostatic proliferation (HP)-memory differentiate into secondary memory cells and compete with Ag-experienced true-memory cells is unknown. We found that CD8(+) HP-memory T cells generated robust responses upon infection and produced a secondary memory population comparable to true-memory cells in the absence of competition. However, when true-memory and HP-memory T cells competed during infection, HP-memory cells contributed less to the effector population, contracted earlier, and formed fewer secondary memory cells. Furthermore, HP- and true-memory cells demonstrated distinct chemokine receptor expression and localization within the spleen during infection, indicating differential access to signals necessary for secondary memory formation. Thus, HP-memory T cells provide protection without compromising the true-memory population. Differences in HP- and true-memory T cells may reveal the basis of competition for limited resources within the memory-T cell compartment.

Mechanisms and functions for the duration of intercellular contacts made by lymphocytes

Communication across intercellular contacts is central to establishing appropriate innate and adaptive immune responses. Recent imaging of lymphocyte interactions suggests that a complex orchestration of cell-cell contact times is a key correlate to establishing appropriate immune responses. Here I review the molecular and cellular processes that influence the duration of intercellular contacts, including integrin activation and dynamic changes in membrane morphology. I discuss how these processes can be regulated, for example, by the balance of activating and inhibitory receptor signals, and how they can establish the appropriate outcome for individual cell-cell interactions.

Towards estimating the true duration of dendritic cell interactions with T cells

To initiate an adaptive immune response, T cells need to interact with dendritic cells (DCs), and the duration of these interactions plays an important role. In vitro and in vivo experiments have generally tried to estimate the required period of opportunity for T cell stimulation rather than the duration of individual T cell-DC interactions. Since the application of multi-photon microscopy (MPM) to living lymphoid tissues, the interactions between immune cells, as well as the duration thereof, can directly be observed in vivo. Indeed, long-lasting interactions between T cells and DCs were shown to be important for the onset of immune responses. However, because MPM imaging is typically restricted to experiments lasting 1 h, and because T cell-DC conjugates frequently move into and out of the imaged volume, it is difficult to estimate the true duration of interactions from MPM contact data. Here, we present a method to properly make such an estimate of (the average of) the distribution of contact durations. We validate the method by applying it to spatially explicit computer simulations where the true distribution of contact duration is known. Finally, we apply our analysis to a large experimental data set of T-DC contacts, and predict an average contact time of about three hours. However, we identify a mismatch between the experimental data and the model predictions, and investigate possible causes of the mismatch, including minor tissue drift during imaging experiments. We discuss in detail how future experiments can be optimized such that MPM contact data will be minimally affected by these factors.

CCL21 mediates CD4+ T-cell costimulation via a DOCK2/Rac-dependent pathway

CD4(+) T cells use the chemokine receptor CCR7 to home to and migrate within lymphoid tissue, where T-cell activation takes place. Using primary T-cell receptor (TCR)-transgenic (tg) CD4(+) T cells, we explored the effect of CCR7 ligands, in particular CCL21, on T-cell activation. We found that the presence of CCL21 during early time points strongly increased in vitro T-cell proliferation after TCR stimulation, correlating with increased expression of early activation markers. CCL21 costimulation resulted in increased Ras- and Rac-GTP formation and enhanced phosphorylation of Akt, MEK, and ERK but not p38 or JNK. Kinase-dead PI3Kdelta(D910A/D910A) or PI3Kgamma-deficient TCR-tg CD4(+) T cells showed similar responsiveness to CCL21 costimulation as control CD4(+) T cells. Conversely, deficiency in the Rac guanine exchange factor DOCK2 significantly impaired CCL21-mediated costimulation in TCR-tg CD4(+) T cells, concomitant with impaired Rac- but not Ras-GTP formation. Using lymph node slices for live monitoring of T-cell behavior and activation, we found that G protein-coupled receptor signaling was required for early CD69 expression but not for Ca(2+) signaling. Our data suggest that the presence of CCL21 during early TCR signaling lowers the activation threshold through Ras- and Rac-dependent pathways leading to increased ERK phosphorylation.

The cellular context of T cell signaling

Classical alphabeta T cells protect the host by monitoring intracellular and extracellular proteins in a two-step process. The first step is protein degradation and combination with a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecule, leading to surface expression of this amalgam (antigen processing). The second step is the interaction of the T cell receptor with the MHC-peptide complex, leading to signaling in the T cells (antigen recognition). The context for this interaction is a T cell-antigen presenting cell junction, known as an immunological synapse if symmetric and stable and as a kinapse if asymmetric and mobile. The physiological recognition of a ligand takes place most efficiently in the F-actin-rich lamellipodium and is F-actin dependent in stages of formation and triggering and myosin II dependent for signal amplification. This review discusses how these concepts emerged from early studies on adhesion, signaling, and cell biology of T cells.

T-cell artificial focal triggering tools: linking surface interactions with cell response

T-cell activation is a key event in the immune system, involving the interaction of several receptor ligand pairs in a complex intercellular contact that forms between T-cell and antigen-presenting cells. Molecular components implicated in contact formation have been identified, but the mechanism of activation and the link between molecular interactions and cell response remain poorly understood due to the complexity and dynamics exhibited by whole cell-cell conjugates. Here we demonstrate that simplified model colloids grafted so as to target appropriate cell receptors can be efficiently used to explore the relationship of receptor engagement to the T-cell response. Using immortalized Jurkat T cells, we monitored both binding and activation events, as seen by changes in the intracellular calcium concentration. Our experimental strategy used flow cytometry analysis to follow the short time scale cell response in populations of thousands of cells. We targeted both T-cell receptor CD3 (TCR/CD3) and leukocyte-function-associated antigen (LFA-1) alone or in combination. We showed that specific engagement of TCR/CD3 with a single particle induced a transient calcium signal, confirming previous results and validating our approach. By decreasing anti-CD3 particle density, we showed that contact nucleation was the most crucial and determining step in the cell-particle interaction under dynamic conditions, due to shear stress produced by hydrodynamic flow. Introduction of LFA-1 adhesion molecule ligands at the surface of the particle overcame this limitation and elucidated the low TCR/CD3 ligand density regime. Despite their simplicity, model colloids induced relevant biological responses which consistently echoed whole cell behavior. We thus concluded that this biophysical approach provides useful tools for investigating initial events in T-cell activation, and should enable the design of intelligent artificial systems for adoptive immunotherapy.

Understanding the focused CD4 T cell response to antigen and pathogenic organisms

Immunodominance is a term that reflects the final, very limited peptide specificity of T cells that are elicited during an immune response. Recent experiments in our laboratory compel us to propose a new paradigm for the control of immunodominance in CD4 T cell responses, stating that immunodominance is peptide-intrinsic and is dictated by the off-rate of peptides from MHC class II molecules. Our studies have revealed that persistence of peptide:class II complexes both predicts and controls CD4 T cell immunodominance and that this parameter can be rationally manipulated to either promote or eliminate immune responses. Mechanistically, we have determined that DM editing in APC is a key event that is influenced by the kinetic stability of class II:peptide complexes and that differential persistence of complexes also impacts the expansion phase of the immune response. These studies have important implications for rational vaccine design and for understanding the immunological mechanisms that limit the specificity of CD4 T cell responses.

T-cell activation by dendritic cells in the lymph node: lessons from the movies

Interactions between T cells and dendritic cells (DCs) in the lymph nodes are crucial for initiating cell-mediated adaptive immune responses. With the help of two-photon imaging, the complexity of these cellular contacts in vivo has recently been captured in time-lapse movies in several immunological contexts. Well beyond the satisfaction of seeing a T-cell response as it happens, these experiments provide fundamental insights into the regulation and the biological meaning of T-cell-DC contact dynamics. This Review focuses on how this emerging field is changing our perception of T-cell activation by DCs.

Integrins in immunity

A successful immune response depends on the capacity of immune cells to travel from one location in the body to another–these cells are rapid migrators, travelling at speeds of μm/minute. Their ability to penetrate into tissues and to make contacts with other cells depends chiefly on the β2 integrin known as LFA-1. For this reason, we describe the control of its activity in some detail. For the non-immunologist, the fine details of an immune response often seem difficult to fathom. However, the behaviour of immune cells, known as leukocytes (Box 1), is subject to the same biological rules as many other cell types, and this holds true particularly for the functioning of the integrins on these cells. In this Commentary, we highlight, from a cell-biology point of view, the integrin-mediated immune-cell migration and cell-cell interactions that occur during the course of an immune response.

Multiphoton imaging of cytotoxic T lymphocyte-mediated antitumor immune responses

The actual contribution of T lymphocytes to protection against tumors is still unclear. In vitro imaging experiments show that tumor specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) are competent to kill target cells by conventional cytotoxic pathways. The emergence of multiphoton imaging in the past decade now allows real time in vivo imaging of CTLs. New insights are available on the behavior of antitumor T cells during the priming phase, during their traffic within the tumor tissue, and on their interactions with tumor cells during the effector phase. Recent reports suggest that direct killing of tumor cells by CTLs is a slow process, suggesting that the ratio of effector to target cells is determinant, or that additional cytotoxic contribution by other cell types is required to induce efficient tumor rejection. This review will focus on the publications that have imaged antitumor immune responses dynamically and discuss how this new information contributes to understand the implication of CTLs in tumor rejection.

Imaging of plasmacytoid dendritic cell interactions with T cells

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) efficiently produce type I interferon and participate in adaptive immune responses, although the molecular interactions between pDCs and antigen-specific T cells remain unknown. This study examines immune synapse (IS) formation between murine pDCs and CD4+ T cells. Mature pDCs formed canonical ISs, involving relocation to the contact site of the microtubule-organizing center, F-actin, protein kinase C-θ, and pVav, and activation of early signaling molecules in T cells. However, immature pDCs were less efficient at forming conjugates with T cells and inducing IS formation, microtubule-organizing center translocation, and T-cell signaling and activation. Time-lapse videomicroscopy and 2-photon in vivo imaging of pDC–T-cell interactions revealed that immature pDCs preferentially mediated transient interactions, whereas mature pDCs promoted more stable contacts. Our data indicate that, under steady-state conditions, pDCs preferentially establish transient contacts with naive T cells and show a very modest immunogenic capability, whereas on maturation, pDCs are able to form long-lived contacts with T cells and significantly enhance their capacity to activate these lymphocytes.

Multiscale analysis of T cell activation: correlating in vitro and in vivo analysis of the immunological synapse

Recently implemented fluorescence imaging techniques, such as total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy and two-photon laser scanning microscopy, have made possible multiscale analysis of the immune response from single molecules in an interface to cells moving in lymphoid tissues and tumors. In this review, we consider components of T cell sensitivity: the immunological synapse, the coordination of migration, and antigen recognition in vivo. Potency, dose, and detection threshold for peptide-MHC determine T cell sensitivity. The immunological synapse incorporates T cell receptor microclusters that initiate and sustain signaling, and it also determines the positional stability of the T cells through symmetry and symmetry breaking. In vivo decisions by T cells on stopping or migration are based on antigen stop signals and environmental go signals that can sometimes prevent arrest of T cells altogether, and thus can change the outcome of antigen encounters.

Human CD8+ T-regulatory cells with low-avidity T-cell receptor specific for minor histocompatibility antigens

Maternal/fetal microchimerism resulting from cell exchanges during pregnancy constitutes a reservoir of persisting alloantigen in mother and adult offspring. These alloantigens induce minor histocompatibility antigen-specific immune responses in both the mother and her offspring, including CD8(+) T regulatory (T(R)) cells with low T-cell receptor binding to major histocompatibility complex tetramers. Although they bind cognate major histocompatibility complex/peptide relatively poorly, these CD8 T(R) nonetheless inhibit high-avidity, tetramer-bright CD8 T effector responding to the same minor H antigen through induction of immunosuppressive DC products. In this review article we explore the mechanisms of such "low-avidity" CD8 T(R)-dependent suppression and discuss their role in naturally acquired tolerance to familial minor histocompatibility antigens encountered during gestation and in parous women. We discuss the implications of our findings for chronic/persisting viral infections, residual tumor burden after cancer treatment and immunotherapy, and renal allograft tolerance.

Form follows function: lymphoid tissue microarchitecture in antimicrobial immune defence

Secondary lymphoid organs (SLOs) are tissues that facilitate the induction of adaptive immune responses. These organs capture pathogens to limit their spread throughout the body, bring antigen-presenting cells into productive contact with their cognate lymphocytes and provide niches for the differentiation of immune effector cells. Therefore, the microanatomy of SLOs defines the ability of an organism to respond to pathogens. SLO microarchitecture is, at the same time, extremely adaptable to environmental changes. In this Review, we discuss recent insights into the function and plasticity of the SLO microenvironment with regards to antimicrobial immune defence.

Cutting edge: TLR ligands increase TCR triggering by slowing peptide-MHC class I decay rates

TLR ligands are among the key stimuli driving the optimal dendritic cell (DC) maturation critical for strong and efficacious T cell priming. In this study, we show that part of this effect occurs via increased TCR triggering. Pretreatment of DCs with TLR ligands resulted in the triggering of many more TCRs in responding CD8(+) T cells. Importantly, even when DCs expressed the same amount of cognate peptide-MHC (pMHC) molecules, TLR ligand treatment resulted in down-regulation of larger numbers of TCR molecules. This was independent of the up-regulation of costimulatory, adhesion or cytokine molecules or the amount of noncognate pMHCs. Rather, DCs pretreated with TLR ligands exhibited increased stability of cognate pMHCs, enabling extended TCR triggering. These findings are of potential importance to T cell vaccination.

Semaphorin 6D regulates the late phase of CD4+ T cell primary immune responses

The semaphorin and plexin family of ligand and receptor proteins provides important axon guidance cues required for development. Recent studies have expanded the role of semaphorins and plexins in the regulation of cardiac, circulatory and immune system function. Within the immune system, semaphorins and plexins regulate cell-cell interactions through a complex network of receptor and ligand pairs. Immune cells at different stages of development often express multiple semaphorins and plexins, leading to multivariate interactions, involving more than one ligand and receptor within each functional group. Because of this complexity, the significance of semaphorin and plexin regulation on individual immune cell types has yet to be fully appreciated. In this work, we examined the regulation of T cells by semaphorin 6D. Both in vitro and in vivo T cell stimulation enhanced semaphorin 6D expression. However, semaphorin 6D was only expressed by a majority of T cells during the late phases of activation. Consequently, the targeted disruption of semaphorin 6D receptor-ligand interactions inhibited T cell proliferation at late but not early phases of activation. This proliferation defect was associated with reduced linker of activated T cells protein phosphorylation, which may reflect semaphorin 6D regulation of c-Abl kinase activity. Semaphorin 6D disruption also inhibited expression of CD127, which is required during the multiphase antigen-presenting cell and T cell interactions leading to selection of long-lived lymphocytes. This work reveals a role for semaphorin 6D as a regulator of the late phase of primary immune responses.

Expression of Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein in dendritic cells regulates synapse formation and activation of naive CD8+ T cells

The Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASp) is a key regulator of actin polimerization in hematopoietic cells. Mutations in WASp cause a severe immunodeficiency characterized by defective initiation of primary immune response and autoimmunity. The contribution of altered dendritic cells (DCs) functions to the disease pathogenesis has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we show that conventional DCs develop normally in WASp-deficient mice. However, Ag targeting to lymphoid organ-resident DCs via anti-DEC205 results in impaired naive CD8(+) T cell activation, especially at low Ag doses. Altered trafficking of Ag-bearing DCs to lymph nodes (LNs) accounts only partially for defective priming because correction of DCs migration does not rescue T cell activation. In vitro and in vivo imaging of DC-T cell interactions in LNs showed that cytoskeletal alterations in WASp null DCs causes a reduction in the ability to form and stabilize conjugates with naive CD8(+) T lymphocytes both in vitro and in vivo. These data indicate that WASp expression in DCs regulates both the ability to traffic to secondary lymphoid organs and to activate naive T cells in LNs.

Intravital imaging of CD8+ T cell function in cancer

Recent technological advances in photonics are making intravital microscopy (IVM) an increasingly powerful approach for the mechanistic exploration of biological processes in the physiological context of complex native tissue environments. Direct, dynamic and multiparametric visualization of immune cell behavior in living animals at cellular and subcellular resolution has already proved its utility in auditing basic immunological concepts established through conventional approaches and has also generated new hypotheses that can conversely be complemented and refined by traditional experimental methods. The insight that outgrowing tumors must not necessarily have evaded recognition by the adaptive immune system, but can escape rejection by actively inducing a state of immunological tolerance calls for a detailed investigation of the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which the anti-cancer response is subverted. Along with molecular imaging techniques that provide dynamic information at the population level, IVM can be expected to make a critical contribution to this effort by allowing the observation of immune cell behavior in vivo at single cell-resolution. We review here how IVM-based investigation can help to clarify the role of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) in the immune response against cancer and identify the ways by which their function might be impaired through tolerogenic mechanisms.

Cellular effector mechanisms against Plasmodium liver stages

Advances in our understanding of the molecular and cell biology of the malaria parasite have led to new vaccine development efforts resulting in a pipeline of over 40 candidates undergoing clinical phase I-III trials. Vaccine-induced CD4+ and CD8+ T cells specific for pre-erythrocytic stage antigens have been found to express cytolytic and multi-cytokine effector functions that support a key role for these T cells within the hepatic environment. However, little is known of the cellular interactions that occur during the effector phase in which the intracellular hepatic stage of the parasite is targeted and destroyed. This review focuses on cell biological aspects of the interaction between malaria-specific effector cells and the various antigen-presenting cells that are known to exist within the liver, including hepatocytes, dendritic cells, Kupffer cells, stellate cells and sinusoidal endothelia. Considering the unique immune properties of the liver, it is conceivable that these different hepatic antigen-presenting cells fulfil distinct but complementary roles during the effector phase against Plasmodium liver stages.

The importance of prolonged binding to antigen-presenting cells for T cell fate decisions

How critical is it for T cells to stably arrest on antigen-presenting cells? In this issue of Immunity, Scholer et al. (2008) demonstrate profound effector and memory defects for CD8(+) T cells encountering "nonsticky" antigen-presenting cells lacking intercellular adhesion molecule-1.

Dendritic cells: driving the differentiation programme of T cells in viral infections

Protective immunity against viral pathogens depends on the generation and maintenance of a small population of memory CD8(+) T cells. Successful memory cell generation begins with early interactions between naïve T cell and dendritic cells (DCs) within the inflammatory milieu of the secondary lymphoid tissues. Recent insights into the role of different populations of DCs, and kinetics of antigen presentation, during viral infections have helped to understand how DCs can shape the immune response. Here, we review the recent progress that has been made towards defining how specific DC subsets drive effector CD8(+) T-cell expansion and differentiation into memory cells. Further, we endeavour to examine how the molecular signals imparted by DCs coordinate to generate protective CD8(+) T-cell immunity.