Differential effect of Listeria monocytogenes infection on cytokine production and cytotoxicity of CD8 T cells

Bacterial infection induces a shift to type 1 CD4 T cell subset in an infected host and this shift is important for protection of the host from disease development. Many researchers think that the shift is antigen-dependent, but we previously demonstrated an initial induction step for CD4 T cell subsets during Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) infection is antigen-independent. Although Listeria is a TLR2 ligand, the immune system of the Lm-infected host responded to the pathogen to induce expression of CD69 but not CD25 on CD4 T cells, CD8 T cells and B cells even in the absence of TLR2 or MyD88. The antigen-independent activation of type 1 CD4 T cells accelerate the clearance of pathogens by activating innate immune cells with type 1 cytokines. Type 1 CD4 T cells and CD8 T cells also collaborate to protect the host from intracellular Lm infection. Since CD8 T cells function mainly as cytotoxic T cells and CD69-positive CD8 T cells increase during Lm-infection, cytotoxic activity of CD8 T cells was evaluated during Lm-infection. Although CD8 T cells were activated to produce IFN-gamma, the cytotoxic function of CD8 T cells in Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) p14 TCR-transgenic mouse was not augmented by Lm-infection. Therefore, Lm-infection differentially influences on cytokine production and cytotoxicity of CD8 T cells.