Frequency of epitope-specific naive CD4(+) T cells correlates with immunodominance in the human memory repertoire.

ABSTRACT: The frequency of epitope-specific naive CD4(+) T cells in humans has not been extensively examined. In this study, a systematic approach was used to examine the frequency of CD4(+) T cells that recognize the protective Ag of Bacillus anthracis in both anthrax vaccine-adsorbed vaccinees and nonvaccinees with HLA-DRB1*01:01 haplotypes. Three epitopes were identified that had distinct degrees of immunodominance in subjects that had received the vaccine. Average naive precursor frequencies of T cells specific for these different epitopes in the human repertoire ranged from 0.2 to 10 per million naive CD4(+) T cells, which is comparable to precursor frequencies observed in the murine repertoire. Frequencies of protective Ag-specific T cells were two orders of magnitude higher in immunized subje

SUBMITTER: Kwok WW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3997369 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature