Cutting Edge: Efficient MHC Class I Cross-Presentation during Early Vaccinia Infection Requires the Transfer of Proteasomal Intermediates between Antigen Donor and Presenting Cells

Abstract

Priming of CD8+ T cells requires presentation of short peptides bound to MHC class I molecules of professional APCs. Cross-presentation is a mechanism whereby professional APC present on their own MHC class I molecules peptides derived from degradation of Ags synthesized by other Ag “donor cells.” The mechanism of cross-presentation is poorly understood, and the nature of the transferred Ag is unknown. In this report, we demonstrate that the bulk of a cross-presented Ag transferred from donor cells recently infected with vaccinia virus are proteasomal products that are susceptible to peptidases within the donor cell cytosol and not full-length proteins or mature epitopes either free or bound to chaperones.