Assessment of CD4(+) and CD8 (+) T cell responses using MHC class I and II tetramers

Methods Mol Biol. 2013:979:71-9. doi: 10.1007/978-1-62703-290-2_8.

Abstract

The low frequency of T cells specific for given antigens makes the study of antigen-specific T cell responses difficult. The development of MHC class I and II tetramer staining techniques allows precise quantification and tracking of antigen-specific CD8(+) and CD4(+) T cell responses. Here, we describe a protocol for MHC class I and II tetramer staining of mouse T cells isolated from various tissues of mice infected with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) or with murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV).

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / cytology*
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / virology
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / cytology*
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / virology
  • Cell Separation
  • Chlorocebus aethiops
  • Cross Reactions
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / chemistry*
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / metabolism
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / chemistry*
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / metabolism
  • Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus / physiology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Muromegalovirus / physiology
  • Protein Multimerization*
  • Protein Structure, Quaternary
  • Spleen / cytology
  • Staining and Labeling
  • Vero Cells

Substances

  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class II