Neutrophil expression of Fas ligand and perforin directs effector CD8 T cell infiltration into antigen-challenged skin

J Immunol. 2012 Sep 1;189(5):2191-202. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1102729. Epub 2012 Jul 18.

Abstract

Contact hypersensitivity (CHS) is a T cell response to hapten skin challenge of sensitized individuals proposed to be mediated by hapten-primed CD8 cytolytic T cells. Effector CD8 T cell recruitment into hapten challenge sites to elicit CHS requires prior CXCL1- and CXCL2-mediated neutrophil infiltration into the site. We investigated whether neutrophil activities directing hapten-primed CD8 T cell skin infiltration in response to 2,4-dinitro-1-fluorobenzene (DNFB) required Fas ligand (FasL) and perforin expression. Although DNFB sensitization of gld/perforin-/- mice induced hapten-specific CD8 T cells producing IFN-γ and IL-17, these T cells did not infiltrate the DNFB challenge site to elicit CHS but did infiltrate the challenge site and elicit CHS when transferred to hapten-challenged naive wild-type recipients. Hapten-primed wild-type CD8 T cells, however, did not elicit CHS when transferred to naive gld/perforin-/- recipients. Wild-type bone marrow neutrophils expressed FasL and perforin, and when transferred to sensitized gld/perforin-/- mice, they restored hapten-primed CD8 T cell infiltration into the challenge site and CHS. The FasL/perforin-mediated activity of wild-type neutrophils induced the expression of T cell chemoattractants, CCL1, CCL2, and CCL5, within the hapten-challenged skin. These results indicate FasL/perforin-independent functions of hapten-primed CD8 T cells in CHS and identify new functions for neutrophils in regulating effector CD8 T cell recruitment and immune responses in the skin.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens / administration & dosage
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / pathology
  • Cell Movement / genetics
  • Cell Movement / immunology*
  • Dermatitis, Contact / immunology*
  • Dermatitis, Contact / pathology
  • Dinitrofluorobenzene / administration & dosage*
  • Dinitrofluorobenzene / immunology
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Ear, External
  • Fas Ligand Protein / biosynthesis
  • Fas Ligand Protein / genetics*
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation / immunology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Neutrophils / immunology*
  • Neutrophils / metabolism
  • Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins / deficiency
  • Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins / genetics*
  • Skin / immunology*

Substances

  • Antigens
  • Fas Ligand Protein
  • Fasl protein, mouse
  • Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins
  • perforin, mouse
  • Dinitrofluorobenzene