Cutting edge: CD8+ T cell clones possess the potential to differentiate into both high- and low-avidity effector cells

The property of functional avidity is recognized to be of critical importance in determining pathogen clearance. An unresolved question with regard to this property is whether distinct naive subsets exist that display inherent differences in their peptide sensitivity requirements for activation, i.e., functional avidity, or whether differences in peptide sensitivity are induced following peptide encounter. In this study, we demonstrate that naive populations that can give rise to both high- and low-avidity cells do not contain subsets that exhibit differences in the amount of peptide required for activation. Furthermore, we show that an individual T cell clone can generate both high- and low-avidity effectors. The work presented here provides the first formal demonstration that an individual cell can give rise to both high- and low-avidity progeny, suggesting that avidity modulation at the level of an individual cell may play an important role in the CD8(+) T cell response generated in vivo.