2025/04/10 by Katarzyna Jobin, Deeksha Seetharama, Lennart Rüttger +17 · 1 voice · 1 citation
Immunology and Microbiology · #Immune Cell Function and Interaction #Immunotherapy and Immune Responses #T-cell and B-cell Immunology
paper · doi:10.1126/science.adq1405
openalex publication_date 2025/04/10 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/23
T cell priming is characterized by an initial activation phase that involves stable interactions with dendritic cells (DCs). How activated T cells receive the paracrine signals required for their differentiation once they have disengaged from DCs and resumed their migration has been unclear. We identified a distinct priming phase that favors CD8 T cells expressing receptors with high affinity for antigen. CXCR3 expression by CD8 T cells was required for their hours-long reengagement with DCs in specific subfollicular niches in lymph nodes. CD4 T cells paused briefly at the sites of CD8 T cell and DC interactions and provided Interleukin-2 (IL-2) before moving to another DC. Our results highlight a previously unappreciated phase of cell-cell interactions during T cell priming and have direct implications for vaccinations and cellular immunotherapies.