p40 homodimers bridge ischemic tissue inflammation and heterologous alloimmunity in mice via IL-15 transpresentation

Virus-induced memory T cells often express functional cross-reactivity, or heterologous immunity, to other viruses and to allogeneic MHC molecules that is an important component of pathogenic responses to allogeneic transplants. During immune responses, antigen-reactive naive and central memory T cells proliferate in secondary lymphoid organs to achieve sufficient cell numbers to effectively respond, whereas effector memory T cell proliferation occurs directly within the peripheral inflammatory microenvironment. Mechanisms driving heterologous memory T cell proliferation and effector function expression within peripheral tissues remain poorly understood. Here, we dissected proliferation of heterologous donor-reactive memory CD8⁺ T cells and their effector functions following infiltration into heart allografts with low or high intensities of ischemic inflammation. Proliferation within both ischemic conditions required p40 homodimer–induced IL-15 transpresentation by graft DCs, but expression of effector functions mediating acute allograft injury occurred only in high-ischemic allografts. Transcriptional responses of heterologous donor-reactive memory CD8⁺ T cells were distinct from donor antigen–primed memory CD8⁺ T cells during early activation in allografts and at graft rejection. Overall, the results provide insights into mechanisms driving heterologous effector memory CD8⁺ T cell proliferation and the separation between proliferation and effector function that is dependent on the intensity of inflammation within the tissue microenvironment.