Cross-primed CD8+ T cells mediate graft rejection via a distinct effector pathway

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Abstract
To prevent bystander destruction of healthy host tissues, cytotoxic CD8+ T lymphocytes are fitted with specific receptors that direct their destructive forces specifically against chosen targets. We show here, however, that anti–H-Y monospecific, H-2b–restricted MataHari CD8+ T cells reject H-2k male skin grafts, with which they cannot directly interact. Such rejection is interferon-γ–dependent and only occurs if the recipient endothelium expresses H-2b. The findings suggest an alternate indirect effector pathway that requires processing and presentation of the donor H-Y antigen by recipient endothelium and have implications for both transplantation and autoimmune disease.
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