Premium
αβ and γδ T‐cell networks and their roles in natural resistance to viral infections
Author(s) -
Welsh Raymond M.,
Lin MeeiYun,
Lohman Barbara L.,
Varga Steven M.,
Zarozinski Christopher C.,
Selin Liisa K.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
immunological reviews
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.839
H-Index - 223
eISSN - 1600-065X
pISSN - 0105-2896
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-065x.1997.tb01008.x
Subject(s) - biology , cytotoxic t cell , virology , heterologous , virus , immune system , memory t cell , cd8 , immunology , t cell , ctl* , genetics , in vitro , gene
Summary Both αβ and γδ T‐cell populations and natural killer (NK) cells include cytotoxic, interferon (IFN)‐γ‐producing lymphocytes that actively respond to viral infections. We show here that all three populations can provide “natural resistance“ of viruses very early in infection and describe how the T‐tell populations are modulated TO provide this function. γδ T cells were shown to play a role in controlling vaccinia virus (VV) infections, as VV grew to much higher titers in γδ T‐cell knockout mice than in normal mice 3–4 days post‐infection. Our studies of the of T‐cell responses to viruses revealed an interactive network of T cells that is modulated substantially during systemic infections. There is an induction phase associated with a massive virus‐specific CD8 T‐cell response, an apoptosis phase during which the T cells become sensitized to activation‐induced ceil death (AICD). a silencing phase, during which the T‐cell number and activation state is reduced, and. finally, a memory phase associated with the very stable preservation of virus‐specific memory cytotoxic T‐lymphocyte precursors (pCTL). Infection of mice immune to one‐H US with a heterologous virus leads to a selective expansion of memory CTL cross‐reacting between the two viruses, but, after homeostasis is again established, there is a quantitative reduction and quantitative alteration of memory to the first virus. Our results suggest that memory of T cells cross‐reactive between heterologous viruses mediate both immunopathology and protective immunity at early stages of the second viruses infection. Thus, memory αβ T cells can, like γδ T cells and NK cells, provide natural immunity to viral infections.