Summary
Adaptive cellular immunity is initiated by antigen-specific interactions between T lymphocytes and dendritic cells (DC). Plasmacytoid DC (pDC) support antiviral immunity by linking innate and adaptive immune responses. Here we examined pDC spatiotemporal dynamics during viral infection to uncover when, where and how they exert their functions. We found that pDC accumulated at sites of CD8+ T cell antigen-driven activation in a CCR5-dependent fashion. Furthermore, activated CD8+ T cells orchestrated the local recruitment of lymph node resident XCR1 chemokine receptor-expressing DC via secretion of the XCL1 chemokine. Functionally, this CD8+ T cell mediated reorganization of the local DC network allowed for the interaction and cooperation of pDC and XCR1+ DC, thereby optimizing XCR1+ DC maturation and cross-presentation. These data support a model in which CD8+ T cells upon activation create their own optimal priming microenvironment by recruiting additional DC subsets to the site of initial antigen recognition.
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