Impaired response to Listeria in H2-M3-deficient mice reveals a nonredundant role of MHC class Ib-specific T cells in host defense

Honglin Xu, Taehoon Chun, Hak Jong Choi, Bin Wang, Chyung Ru Wang*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

50 Scopus citations

Abstract

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class Ib molecule H2-M3 primes the rapid expansion of CD8+ T cells by presenting N-formylated bacterial peptides. However, the significance of H2-M3-restricted T cells in host defense against bacteria is unclear. We generated H2-M3-deficient mice to investigate the role of H2-M3 in immunity against Listeria monocytogenes (LM), a model intracellular bacterial pathogen. H2-M3-deficient mice are impaired in early bacterial clearance during primary infection, with diminished LM-specific CD8+ T cell responses and compromised innate immune functions. Although H2-M3-restricted CD8+ T cells constitute a significant proportion of the anti-listerial CD8+ T cell repertoire, the kinetics and magnitude of MHC class Ia-restricted T cell responses are not altered in H2-M3-deficient mice. The fact that MHC class Ia-restricted responses cannot compensate for the H2-M3-mediated immunity suggests a nonredundant role of H2-M3 in the protective immunity against LM. Thus, the early H2-M3-restricted response temporally bridges the gap between innate and adaptive immune responses, subsequently affecting the function of both branches of the immune system. JEM

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)449-459
Number of pages11
JournalJournal of Experimental Medicine
Volume203
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 20 2006

Funding

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Immunology and Allergy
  • Immunology

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