Premium
Early T‐cell responses in tuberculosis immunity
Author(s) -
Winslow Gary M.,
Cooper Andrea,
Reiley William,
Chatterjee Madhumouli,
Woodland David L.
Publication year - 2008
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.2008.00693.x
Subject(s) - immunity , immunology , tuberculosis , mycobacterium tuberculosis , vaccination , biology , t cell , disease , immune system , cellular immunity , population , cell mediated immunity , virology , medicine , pathology , environmental health
Summary: Tuberculosis (TB) has plagued mankind for millennia yet is classified as an emerging infectious disease, because its prevalence in the human population continues to increase. Immunity to TB depends critically on the generation of effective CD4 + T‐cell responses. Sterile immunity has not been achieved through vaccination, although early T‐cell responses are effective in controlling steady‐state infection in the lungs. Although such early T‐cell responses are clearly protective, the initiation of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis ( Mtb ) T‐cell response occurs much later than is the case following other aerogenic infections. This fact suggests that there is a critical period, before the activation of the T‐cell response, in which Mtb is able to establish infection. An understanding of the factors that regulate early T‐cell activation should, therefore, lead to better control of the disease. This review discusses recent work that has investigated the early development of T‐cell immunity following Mtb infection in the mouse.