Innate-like Cytotoxic Function of Bystander-Activated CD8+ T Cells Is Associated with Liver Injury in Acute Hepatitis A

During acute hepatitis A, hepatitis A virus (HAV)-infected cells produce IL-15 that induces TCR-independent bystander activation of non-HAV-specific memory CD8+ T  cells. These CD8+ T cells exert innate-like cytotoxicity triggered by NKG2D and NKp30 without TCR engagement. The severity of liver injury is associated with activation and innate-like cytotoxicity of non-HAV-specific CD8+ T cells, but not the activation of HAV-specific T cells. Thus, IL-15-ind uced bystander-activated CD8+ T cells are implicated in host injury during acute viral infection.

Source: Immunity - January 2, 2018 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Jihye Kim, Dong-Yeop Chang, Hyun Woong Lee, Hoyoung Lee, Jong Hoon Kim, Pil Soo Sung, Kyung Hwan Kim, Seon-Hui Hong, Wonseok Kang, Jino Lee, So Youn Shin, Hee Tae Yu, Sooseong You, Yoon Seok Choi, Insoo Oh, Dong Ho Lee, Dong Hyeon Lee, Min Kyung Jung, Kyu Tags: Article Source Type: research