Immediate Dysfunction of Vaccine-Elicited CD8+ T Cells Primed in the Absence of CD4+ T Cells.

ABSTRACT: CD4(+) T cell help is critical for optimal CD8(+) T cell memory differentiation and maintenance in many experimental systems. In addition, many reports have identified reduced primary CD8(+) T cell responses in the absence of CD4(+) T cell help, which often coincides with reduced Ag or pathogen clearance. In this study, we demonstrate that absence of CD4(+) T cells at the time of adenovirus vector immunization of mice led to immediate impairments in early CD8(+) T cell functionality and differentiation. Unhelped CD8(+) T cells exhibited a reduced effector phenotype, decreased ex vivo cytotoxicity, and decreased capacity to produce cytokines. This dysfunctional state was imprinted within 3 d of immunization. Unhelped CD8(+) T cells expressed elevated levels of inhibitory receptors and exhib

SUBMITTER: Provine NM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4991249 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature