Figure 5.

CD8⁺ T-cell responses in cGN. CD8⁺ T cells infiltrate the kidney and accumulate in the tubulointerstitium and periglomerular region. In severe cGN, breaches in the Bowman´s capsule lead to glomerular CD8⁺ T-cell infiltration, podocyte killing, and subsequent rupture of the filtration barrier. Antigen presentation by podocytes induces activation of infiltrating CD8⁺ T cells, which in turn kill the podocytes. Albumin might function as a self-antigen in proteinuric nephropathy, which is processed by proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTECs) and DCs into antigenic peptides, which induce CD8⁺ T-cell activation and production of IFNγ. Renal CD8⁺ T_RM have been described in lupus nephritis (LN). In humans, CD8⁺ T_RM are characterized by expression of the transcription factor Hobit and the tissue retention molecules CD49a and CD103. In mice, CD8⁺ T_RM express cytotoxic molecules and inflammatory cytokines and express CD69, another molecule associated with tissue residency. Figure has been created with BioRender.com (accessed on 23 March 2022).