Divergent Effects of a Transient Corticosteroid Therapy on Virus-Specific Quiescent and Effector CD8⁺ T Cells.

ABSTRACT: We investigated the influence of a transient treatment of corticosteroid on CD8⁺ T cells during herpesvirus infection. Dexamethasone, a synthetic corticosteroid, induced apoptosis of naïve and memory CD8⁺ T cells but virus-specific effector cells were spared. CD8⁺ T cell susceptibility was directly correlated with the expression of nr3c1. Both α-(HSV1) and γ-(MHV68) herpesvirus infection expanded CD8⁺ T cells down regulated nr3c1 indicating corticosteroid-mediated effects were not limited to one pathogen or the specific clonotype. Dexamethasone compromised anti-viral immunity to subsequent infections, likely through reductions in the naïve cell pool. Dexamethasone augmented the function and inflammatory tissue homing potential of effector cells v

SUBMITTER: Kumar D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6639716 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature