Induction of peripheral CD8 T-cell tolerance by cross-presentation of self antigens

Abstract

There is now convincing evidence that CD8+ T cells can be activated by professional antigen-presenting cells which present antigens derived from non-lymphoid tissues in association with MHC class I molecules in the draining lymph nodes. This mechanism, referred to as cross-presentation, enables the immune system to respond to those microorganisms that infect only non-lymphoid tissues. Consistent with this view, cross-presentation was found to locus on antigens expressed in high concentrations and those released from dying cells, which can be expected to result from viral infections. Recent evidence, however, demonstrates that high dose self antigens can be cross presented constitutively resu..