CXCR3 directs antigen-specific effector CD4+ T cell migration to the lung during parainfluenza virus infection

J Immunol. 2009 Oct 1;183(7):4378-84. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.0902022. Epub 2009 Sep 4.

Abstract

Effector T cells are a crucial component of the adaptive immune response to respiratory virus infections. Although it was previously reported that the chemokine receptors CCR5 and CXCR3 affect trafficking of respiratory virus-specific CD8+ T cells, it is unclear whether these receptors govern effector CD4+ T cell migration to the lungs. To assess the role of CCR5 and CXCR3 in vivo, we directly compared the migration of Ag-specific wild-type and chemokine receptor-deficient effector T cells in mixed bone marrow chimeric mice during a parainfluenza virus infection. CXCR3-deficient effector CD4+ T cells were 5- to 10-fold less efficient at migrating to the lung compared with wild-type cells, whereas CCR5-deficient effector T cells were not impaired in their migration to the lung. In contrast to its role in trafficking, CXCR3 had no impact on effector CD4+ T cell proliferation, phenotype, or function in any of the tissues examined. These findings demonstrate that CXCR3 controls virus-specific effector CD4+ T cell migration in vivo, and suggest that blocking CXCR3-mediated recruitment may limit T cell-induced immunopathology during respiratory virus infections.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / pathology
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / virology
  • Chemotaxis, Leukocyte / genetics
  • Chemotaxis, Leukocyte / immunology*
  • Clone Cells
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / immunology*
  • Lung / immunology*
  • Lung / pathology
  • Lung / virology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Receptors, CCR5 / deficiency
  • Receptors, CCR5 / physiology
  • Receptors, CXCR3 / biosynthesis
  • Receptors, CXCR3 / deficiency
  • Receptors, CXCR3 / physiology*
  • Respirovirus Infections / immunology*
  • Respirovirus Infections / pathology
  • Sendai virus / immunology

Substances

  • Cxcr3 protein, mouse
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte
  • Receptors, CCR5
  • Receptors, CXCR3