Guarding effector T-cell survival: all for one, Mcl-1 for all?

Abstract

Several studies examined the mechanism responsible for T-cell death during the contraction phase of an antiviral immune response focusing on the relative contribution of different death receptors and individual BH3-only proteins. These studies identified a dominant role for Bim1 with auxiliary roles for Puma2 in acute infection. In the case of chronic infections, Bim cooperates with Bid to constrain the T-cell response3 in concert with death receptor signals to control unrestrained inflammation and to preclude autoimmunity.4