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Jagdeep S Obhrai, Martin H Oberbarnscheidt, Timothy W Hand, Lonnette Diggs, Geetha Chalasani, Fadi G Lakkis, Effector T Cell Differentiation and Memory T Cell Maintenance Outside Secondary Lymphoid Organs, The Journal of Immunology, Volume 176, Issue 7, April 2006, Pages 4051–4058, https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.176.7.4051
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Abstract
Naive T cell circulation is restricted to secondary lymphoid organs. Effector and memory T cells, in contrast, acquire the ability to migrate to nonlymphoid tissues. In this study we examined whether nonlymphoid tissues contribute to the differentiation of effector T cells to memory cells and the long-term maintenance of memory T cells. We found that CD4, but not CD8, effector T cell differentiation to memory cells is impaired in adoptive hosts that lack secondary lymphoid organs. In contrast, established CD4 and CD8 memory T cells underwent basal homeostatic proliferation in the liver, lungs, and bone marrow, were maintained long-term, and functioned in the absence of secondary lymphoid organs. CD8 memory T cells found in nonlymphoid tissues expressed both central and effector memory phenotypes, whereas CD4 memory T cells displayed predominantly an effector memory phenotype. These findings indicate that secondary lymphoid organs are not necessary for the maintenance and function of memory T cell populations, whereas the optimal differentiation of CD4 effectors to memory T cells is dependent on these organs. The ability of memory T cells to persist and respond to foreign Ag independently of secondary lymphoid tissues supports the existence of nonlymphoid memory T cell pools that provide essential immune surveillance in the periphery.
