CD69 is indispensable for the development of functional local immune memory in murine contact hypersensitivity

Local immune memory develops at the site of antigen exposure and facilitates a rapid and strong local adaptive defense upon re-exposure. Resident memory T cells (TRM) play a role in local immune memory, and their cell-surface molecules CD69 and CD103 promote their tissue residency. However, the contribution of these molecules to skin immune memory remains unclear. Here, by inducing CHS in CD69-deficient (CD69KO) and CD103-deficient mice, where different degrees of TRM contribution are observed by repeated challenges on the right ear and a single challenge on the left ear, we found that the deficiency of CD69 but not CD103, leads to impaired CHS upon repeated antigen challenges, even although TRM-like CD8 T cells developed at the challenged site of CD69KO.
Source: Journal of Investigative Dermatology - Category: Dermatology Authors: Tags: Original Article Source Type: research