Direct antigen presentation by DC shapes the functional CD8 T-cell repertoire against the nuclear self-antigen La-SSB

Abstract

Controversy still surrounds the importance of cross-presentation versus endogenous or direct presentation of MHC-I restricted Ag in CD8+ T-cell (TCD8+) immunity. It is even less clear what relative role these pathways play in shaping the T-cell repertoire specific for ubiquitous self-antigens, especially in cases where both Ag presentation pathways could potentially be involved. Here we provide evidence that a TCD8+ repertoire specific for a determinant from the nuclear autoantigen La-SSB is largely shaped by direct presentation. In this system, mouse TCD8+ reactive to a xenogeneic human La (hLa51-58) Kb peptide did not recognize directly presented peptide on either spleen cells from hLa-Tg ..