Open AccessIncreased Expression of the NK Cell Receptor KLRG1 by Virus-Specific CD8 T Cells during Persistent Antigen Stimulation
Author(s) -
Robert Thimme,
Victor Appay,
Marie Koschella,
Elisabeth Panther,
Evelyn Roth,
Andrew D. Hislop,
Alan B. Rickinson,
Sarah RowlandJones,
Hubert E. Blum,
Hanspeter Pircher
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.617
H-Index - 292
eISSN - 1070-6321
pISSN - 0022-538X
DOI - 10.1128/jvi.79.18.12112-12116.2005
Subject(s) - biology , cytotoxic t cell , interleukin 21 , antigen presenting cell , natural killer t cell , interleukin 12 , virus , virology , cd8 , il 2 receptor , antigen , zap70 , t cell , immunology , immune system , in vitro , biochemistry
The killer cell lectin-like receptor G1 (KLRG1) is a natural killer cell receptor expressed by T cells that exhibit impaired proliferative capacity. Here, we determined the KLRG1 expression by virus-specific T cells. We found that repetitive and persistent antigen stimulation leads to an increase in KLRG1 expression of virus-specific CD8+ T cells in mice and that virus-specific CD8+ T cells are mostly KLRG1+ in chronic human viral infections (human immunodeficiency virus, cytomegalovirus, and Epstein-Barr virus) but not in resolved infection (influenza virus). Thus, by using KLRG1 as a T-cell marker, our results suggest that the differentiation status and function of virus-specific CD8+ T cells are directly influenced by persistent antigen stimulation.