Definition of the HLA-A2 restricted peptides recognized by human CD8+ effector T cells by flow-assisted sorting of the CD8+ CD45RA+ CD28– T cell subpopulation

SUMMARY In response to antigenic stimulation, naive MHC-class I restricted and antigen-specific CD8+ CD45RA+ CD28+ T cells undergo clonal expansion, differentiate into CD8+ CD45RO+ memory T cells and convert to CD8+ CD45RA+ CD28− T cells displaying potent immune effector functions upon re-encounter with the nominal antigen. We show that the effector CD8+ CD45RA+ CD28– T cell subset is expanded in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from patients with human papilloma virus (HPV)+ cervical lesions as well as in PBL from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. Flow-cytometric cell sorted CD8+ CD45RA+ CD28– and CD8+ CD45RA+ CD28– T cells were tested for recognition of HLA-A2 restricted peptides de…