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Lysis of infected cells by CD8(+) T cells is an important mechanism for the control of virus infections, but remains difficult to quantify in vivo. Here, we study the elimination kinetics of viral antigen-positive lymphocytes by antiviral CD8(+) T cells using flow cytometry and mathematical analysis. In mice acutely infected with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, more than 99.99 % of target cells were eliminated each day, corresponding to a half-life of 1.4 h. Even in mice exposed to virus 300 days previously, and with no ex vivo killing activity, 84 % of the target cells were eliminated per day. Unexpectedly, the elimination kinetics of antigen-positive lymphocytes was not significantly impaired in mice deficient in either perforin-, CD95 ligand- or TNF-mediated cytotoxicity. For viruses with a particular tropism for lymphocytes, such as Epstein-Barr virus or HIV, our results illustrate how effectively CD8(+) T cell-mediated elimination of target cells can potentially contribute to virus control and immunosuppression.

Original publication

DOI

10.1002/(SICI)1521-4141(200005)30:5<1356::AID-IMMU1356>3.0.CO;2-K

Type

Journal article

Journal

Eur J Immunol

Publication Date

05/2000

Volume

30

Pages

1356 - 1363

Keywords

Animals, Antigen Presentation, Antigens, Viral, CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxicity, Immunologic, Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis, Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, Membrane Glycoproteins, Mice, Perforin, Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins, T-Lymphocyte Subsets, Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha, fas Receptor