CD1a-, b-, and c-restricted TCRs recognize both self and foreign antigens

Individual CM-restricted T cells can recognize either endogenous or foreign lipid Ags, but the extent to which the same CD1-restricted TCR can react to both self and microbial lipids is unknown. In this study, we have identified CD1a-, CD1b-, and CD1c-restricted T cells from normal human donors that induce cytolysis and secrete copious IFN-gamma in response to self-CD1 expressed on monocyte-derived dendritic cells. Remarkably, microbial Ags presented by CD1 are even more potent agonists for these same T cells. The alpha beta T cell receptors from such clones are diverse and confer specificity for both self-CD1 and foreign lipid Ags. The dual reactivity of these CD1-restricted cells suggests that the capacity for rapid responses to inflammatory stimuli without memory coexists with the capacity for strong Ag-specific responses and the generation of memory in vivo.