Different susceptibility of cytotoxic T cells to CD95 (Fas/Apo-1) ligand-mediated cell death after activation in vitro versus in vivo.

To address the question of whether cytotoxic CD8+ T cells (CTL) activated in vivo are susceptible to cell death mediated by CD95 (Fas/Apo-1) ligand, a recombinant vaccinia virus expressing murine CD95L (vacc CD95L) was constructed, which drives CD95L expression to infected cells. T cells contacting virus-infected cells during priming, killing, or restimulation therefore encounter CD95L on the same cells. CD95L expression in vivo after infection with the vaccinia recombinant was sufficient to induce extensive necrosis in the liver of normal but not of CD95 mutant lpr mice. Fibroblast cell lines infected with this virus specifically killed CD95-transfected target cells and in vitro activated T cells. In contrast, when T cells were activated by a viral infection in vivo, they were not susceptible to CD95L-mediated cell death during the induction, effector, or memory phase in vitro or in vivo. These results suggest no direct role for CD95L in regulating CTL responses in vivo.