CD4⁺ Regulatory T Cells Exert Differential Functions during Early and Late Stages of the Immune Response to Respiratory Viruses.

ABSTRACT: Acute respiratory virus infection (ARI) induces CD8⁺ T cells with diminished cytokine production and functional impairment. The role of cellular mediators of immune impairment, specifically CD4⁺ regulatory T cells (Tregs), is incompletely understood in ARI. Tregs are known suppressors of effector T cell function, but whether they are detrimental or beneficial in ARI remains controversial. We show in this paper that Treg depletion leads to increased CD8⁺ T cell function and lower virus titer in mice infected with human metapneumovirus. We further demonstrate that Tregs play a temporal role in the immune response to human metapneumovirus and influenza: Treg depletion before infection pathologically reduces virus-specific CD8⁺ T cell numbers and del

SUBMITTER: Rogers MC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6089537 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature