Figure 3.

Transplantation of BCG-infected liver using CD11c-EYFP donors or recipients allows tracking of DC migration in and out of acute and chronic granulomas. After transplantation, donor DCs migrate out of granulomas, and recipient DCs also migrate in. The ability of DCs to prime systemic immune responses after surveying granulomas can be measured when coupled with adoptive transfer of antigen-specific T-cells into transplant recipients. Systemic T-cell priming after transplantation of acute granulomas results from CCR7-dependent migration to the lymph nodes of donor DCs that have BCG antigen. The antigen is transferred to recipient DCs and presented to mycobacterial-specific, transferred T-cells. Priming after transplantation of both acute and chronic granulomas was absolutely dependent on recipient MHC II.