The LCMV gp33-specific memory T cell repertoire narrows with age.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The memory response to LCMV in mice persists for months to years with only a small decrease in the number of epitope specific CD8 T cells. This long persistence is associated with resistance to lethal LCMV disease. In contrast to studies focused on the number and surface phenotype of the memory cells, relatively little attention has been paid to the diversity of TCR usage in these cells. CD8+ T cell responses with only a few clones of identical specificity are believed to be relatively ineffective, presumably due to the relative ease of virus escape. Thus, a broad polyclonal response is associated with an effective anti-viral CD8+ T cell response.

Results

In this paper we show that the primary CD8+ T cell response to the LCMV gp33-41 epitope is extremely diverse.

SUBMITTER: Bunztman A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3472190 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature