A Novel Role of CD30/CD30 Ligand Signaling in the Generation of Long-Lived Memory CD8+ T Cells

Memory CD8+ T cells can be divided into two subsets, central memory (TCM) and effector memory (TEM) CD8+ T cells. We found that CD30, a member of the TNFR-associated factor (TRAF)-linked TNFR superfamily, signaling is involved in differentiation of long-lived CD8+ TCM cells following Listeria monocytogenes infection. Although CD8+ TEM cells transiently accumulated in the nonlymphoid tissues of CD30 ligand (CD153−/−) mice after infection, long-lived memory CD8+ TCM cells were poorly generated in these mice. CCR7 mRNA expression was down-regulated in CD8+ T cells of the spleen of CD153−/− mice in vivo and the expression was up-regulated in CD8+ TEM cells by anti-CD30 mAb cross-linking in vitro. These results suggest that CD30/CD30 ligand signaling plays an important role in the generation of long-lived memory CD8+ T cells at least partly by triggering homing receptors for TCM cells.