Diversification of the antigen-specific T cell receptor repertoire after varicella zoster vaccination.

ABSTRACT: Diversity and size of the antigen-specific T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire are two critical determinants for successful control of chronic infection. Varicella zoster virus (VZV) that establishes latency during childhood can escape control mechanisms, in particular with increasing age. We examined the TCR diversity of VZV-reactive CD4 T cells in individuals older than 50 years by studying three identical twin pairs and three unrelated individuals before and after vaccination with live attenuated VZV. Although all individuals had a small number of dominant T cell clones, the breadth of the VZV-specific repertoire differed markedly. A genetic influence was seen for the sharing of individual TCR sequences from antigen-reactive cells but not for repertoire richness or the selection of dominan

SUBMITTER: Qi Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4878824 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature