Circulating Memory CD4+ T Cells Target Conserved Epitopes of Rhinovirus Capsid Proteins and Respond Rapidly to Experimental Infection in Humans.

ABSTRACT: Rhinovirus (RV) is a major cause of common cold and an important trigger of acute episodes of chronic lung diseases. Antigenic variation across the numerous RV strains results in frequent infections and a lack of durable cross-protection. Because the nature of human CD4⁺ T cells that target RV is largely unknown, T cell epitopes of RV capsid proteins were analyzed, and cognate T cells were characterized in healthy subjects and those infected by intranasal challenge. Peptide epitopes of the RV-A16 capsid proteins VP1 and VP2 were identified by peptide/MHC class II tetramer-guided epitope mapping, validated by direct ex vivo enumeration, and interrogated using a variety of in silico methods. Among noninfected subjects, those circulating RV-A16-specific CD4⁺ T cells dete

SUBMITTER: Muehling LM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5101128 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature