Antigen-specific memory Th17 cells promote cross-protection against nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae after mild influenza A virus infection.

ABSTRACT: Secondary bacterial pneumonia after influenza A virus (IAV) infection is the leading cause of hospitalization and death associated with IAV infection worldwide. Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is one of the most common causes of secondary bacterial pneumonia. Current efforts to develop vaccines against NTHi infection focus on inducing antibodies but are hindered by antigenic diversity among NTHi strains. Therefore, we investigated the contribution of the memory T helper type 17 (Th17) response in protective immunity against IAV/NTHi coinfection. We observed that even a mild IAV infection impaired the NTHi-specific Th17 response and increased morbidity and mortality compared with NTHi monoinfected mice. However, pre-existing memory NTHi-specific Th17 cells induced by a previous NT

SUBMITTER: Zhang X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10343962 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature