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A microsurgical approach to hepatic and extrahepatic antigen presentation and its effects on the migration pattern of activated CD8 + T cells
Author(s) -
Klein Ingo,
Gassel HeinzJochen,
Thiede Arnulf,
Nicholas Crispe Ian,
Steger Ulrich
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
microsurgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.031
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1098-2752
pISSN - 0738-1085
DOI - 10.1002/micr.20358
Subject(s) - antigen , antigen presentation , cd8 , medicine , immunology , major histocompatibility complex , presentation (obstetrics) , pathology , t cell , immune system , surgery
CD8+T lymphocytes activated in peripheral lymphoid organs are believed to preferentially localize to the hepatic sinusoids, but the role of antigen in the process has been difficult to define. To create experimental mice in which the liver was unique in lacking the ability to present antigen, we adopted a novel microsurgical approach, in which the site of antigen presentation was restricted by orthotopic mouse liver transplantation of MHC Class I‐disparate livers. We used two related mouse strains, of which the wild‐type strain could present an injectable model antigen, while a mutant strain could not. By transplanting mutant‐strain livers into wild type recipients, we were able to evaluate the absence of intrahepatic parenchymal antigen presentation on CD8+ T cell activation, differentiation, and migration. This illustrates that orthotopic liver transplantation is a powerful technique for addressing issues of antigen presentation. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Microsurgery 2007.