Tubulitis in renal allograft rejection: role of transforming growth factor-β and interleukin-15 in development and maintenance of CD103+ intraepithelial T cells1

Abstract

These results suggest that activated, allospecific CD8 T cells are recruited to tubules during acute rejection where they encounter TGF-beta, up-regulate CD103 expression, and bind E-cadherin. A proportion of these cells proliferates and is maintained in a state of low perforin expression by the combined action of TGF-beta and IL-15.