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Adoptive Immunotherapy: Methods and Protocols pp 265–283Cite as

Methods for the Ex Vivo Characterization of Human CD8+T Subsets Based on Gene Expression and Replicative History Analysis

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Part of the Methods in Molecular Medicine™ book series (MIMM,volume 109)

Abstract

The generation of an antigen-specific T-lymphocyte response is a complex multi-step process. Upon T-cell receptor-mediated recognition of antigen presented by activated dendritic cells, naive T-lymphocytes enter a program of proliferation and differentiation, during the course of which they acquire effector functions and may ultimately become memory T-cells. A major goal of modern immunology is to precisely identify and characterize effector and memory T-cell subpopulations that may be most efficient in disease protection. Sensitive methods are required to address these questions in exceedingly low numbers of antigen-specific lymphocytes recovered from clinical samples, and not manipulated in vitro. We have developed new techniques to dissect immune responses against viral or tumor antigens. These allow the isolation of various subsets of antigen-specific T-cells (with major histocompatibility complex [MHC]-peptide multimers and five-color FACS sorting) and the monitoring of gene expression in individual cells (by five-cell reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction [RT-PCR]). We can also follow their proliferative life history by flow-fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis of average telomere length. Recently, using these tools, we have identified subpopulations of CD8+ T-lymphocytes with distinct proliferative history and partial effector-like properties. Our data suggest that these subsets descend from recently activated T-cells and are committed to become differentiated effector T-lymphocytes.

Keywords

  • Cytolytic T-lymphocytes (CTL)
  • memory
  • effector
  • tumor immunity
  • T-cell differentiation
  • melanoma
  • immunoassay
  • senescence
  • fibroblasts
  • gene expression
  • single-cell
  • RT-PCR
  • polyA cDNA amplification
  • replicative history
  • telomere length
  • flow-FISH
  • in situhybridization
  • nuclei

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  • DOI: 10.1385/1-59259-862-5:265
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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. NCCR Molecular Oncology, Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), Epalinges, Switzerland

    Nathalie Rufer

  2. Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), Epalinges, Switzerland

    Patrick Reichenbach

  3. Division of Clinical Onco-Immunology, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Lausanne Branch, University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Pedro Romero

Authors
  1. Nathalie Rufer
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  2. Patrick Reichenbach
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  3. Pedro Romero
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Research Department, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, Switzerland

    Burkhard Ludewig

  2. Department of Abdominal and Transplant Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany

    Matthias W. Hoffmann

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© 2005 Humana Press Inc.

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Rufer, N., Reichenbach, P., Romero, P. (2005). Methods for the Ex Vivo Characterization of Human CD8+T Subsets Based on Gene Expression and Replicative History Analysis. In: Ludewig, B., Hoffmann, M.W. (eds) Adoptive Immunotherapy: Methods and Protocols. Methods in Molecular Medicine™, vol 109. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-862-5:265

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-862-5:265

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-58829-406-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-862-5

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