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Beyond memory T cells: mechanisms of protective immunity to tuberculosis infection
Author(s) -
Steigler Pia,
Verrall Ayesha J,
Kirman Joanna R
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
immunology and cell biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.999
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1440-1711
pISSN - 0818-9641
DOI - 10.1111/imcb.12278
Subject(s) - immunology , mycobacterium tuberculosis , tuberculosis , immunity , tuberculosis vaccines , immune system , disease , innate immune system , medicine , infectious disease (medical specialty) , virology , pathology
Tuberculosis ( TB ) is a serious infectious disease caused by infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis , and kills more people annually than any other single infectious agent. Although a vaccine is available, it is only moderately effective and an improved vaccine is urgently needed. The ability to develop a more effective vaccine has been thwarted by a lack of understanding of the mechanism of vaccine‐induced immune protection. Over recent decades, many novel TB vaccines have been developed and almost all have aimed to generate memory CD 4 T cells. In this review, we critically evaluate evidence in the literature that supports the contention that memory CD 4 T cells are the prime mediators of vaccine‐induced protection against TB . Because of the lack of robust evidence supporting memory CD 4 T cells in this role, the potential for B‐cell antibody and “trained” innate cells as alternative mediators of protective immunity is explored.