RIPK1 and NF-κB signaling in dying cells determines cross-priming of CD8 + T cells

Abstract

Dying to impress the immune system Besides reacting to microbes, T cells can also mount immune responses to fragments of dying cells, which they encounter displayed on dendritic cells. Not all dying cells activate T cells, however, so what differentiates the dying cells that do? Yatim et al. studied two forms of programmed cells death: apoptosis and necroptosis. Using mouse cells in culture and mouse models of inflammatory cell death and anti-tumor immunity, they found that programmed cell death initiated T cell immunity only when the dying cells signaled through the enzyme RIPK1 and the transcription factor NF-κB. Science , this issue p. 328