Cutting edge: CCR4 mediates antigen-primed T cell binding to activated dendritic cells

The binding of a T cell to an Ag-laden dendritic cell (DC) is a critical step of the acquired immune response. Herein, we address whether a DC-produced chemokine can induce the arrest of T cells on DC under dynamic flow conditions. Ag-primed T cells and a T cell line were observed to rapidly (∼0.5 s) bind to immobilized DC at low shear stress (0.1-0.2 dynes/cm ²) in a pertussis toxin-sensitive fashion. Quantitatively, Ag-primed T cells displayed 2- to 3-fold enhanced binding to DC compared with unprimed T cells (p < 0.01). In contrast to naive T cells, primed T cell arrest was largely inhibited by pertussis toxin, neutralization of the CC chemokine, macrophage-derived chemokine (CCL22), or by desensitization of the CCL22 receptor, CCR4. Our results demonstrate that DC-derived CCL22 induces rapid binding of activated T cells under dynamic conditions and that Ag-primed and naive T cells fundamentally differ with respect to chemokine -dependent binding to DC.