Transience of MHC Class I-restricted antigen presentation after influenza A virus infection

Abstract

Antigen expressed as MHC Class I glycoprotein (pMHCI) complexes on dendritic cells is the primary driver of CD8+ T cell clonal expansion and differentiation. As we seek to define the molecular differences between acutely stimulated cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) effectors and long-lived memory T cells, it is essential that we understand the duration of in vivo pMHCI persistence. Although infectious influenza A virus is readily cleared by mammalian hosts, that does not necessarily mean that all influenza antigen is totally eliminated. An exhaustive series of carefully controlled adoptive transfer experiments using 3 different carboxy fluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester-labeled T cell recep..