No abstract

CD70 and CD27 are costimulatory molecules that provide essential signals for the expansion and differentiation of CD8(+) T cells. Here, we show that CD27-driven costimulation lowered the threshold of T cell receptor activation on CD8(+) T cells and enabled responses against low-affinity antigens. Using influenza infection to study in vivo consequences, we found that CD27-driven costimulation promoted a CD8(+) T cell response of overall low affinity. These qualitative effects of CD27 on T cell responses were maintained into the memory phase. On a clonal level, CD27-driven costimulation established a higher degree of variety in memory CD8(+) T cells. The benefit became apparent when mice were reinfected, given that CD27 improved CD8(+) T cell responses against reinfection with viral variants, but not with identical virus. We propose that CD27-driven costimulation is a strategy to generate memory clones that have potential reactivity to a wide array of mutable pathogens.

The human lung T cell compartment contains many CD8 + T cells specific for respiratory viruses, suggesting that the lung is protected from recurring respiratory infections by a resident T cell pool. The entry site for respiratory viruses is the epithelium, in which a subset of lung CD8 + T cells expressing CD103 (αE integrin) resides. Here, we determined the specificity and function of CD103 + CD8 + T cells in protecting human lung against viral infection. Mononuclear cells were isolated from human blood and lung resection samples. Variable numbers of CD103 + CD8 + T cells were retrieved from the lung tissue. Interestingly, expression of CD103 was seen only in lung CD8 + T cells specific for influenza but not in those specific for EBV or CMV. CD103 + and influenza-reactive cells preferentially expressed NKG2A, an inhibitor of CD8 + T cell cytotoxic function. In contrast to CD103 -CD8 + T cells, most CD103 + CD8 + cells did not contain perforin or granzyme B. However, they could quickly upregulate these cytotoxic mediators when exposed to a type I IFN milieu or via contact with their specific antigen. This mechanism may provide a rapid and efficient response to influenza infection, without inducing cytotoxic damage to the delicate epithelial barrier.