Diminished primary and secondary influenza virus-specific CD8 T-Cell responses in CD4-depleted Ig(-/-) mice

Abstract

Optimal expansion of influenza virus nucleoprotein (DbNP366)-specific CD8+ T cells following respiratory challenge of naive Ig(-/-) μMT mice was found to require CD4+ T-cell help, and this effect was also observed I in primed animals. Absence of the CD4+ population was consistently correlated with diminished recruitment of virus-specific CD8+ T cells to the infected lung, delayed virus clearance, and increased morbidity. The splenic CD8+ set generated during the recall response in Ig(-/-) mice primed at least 6 months previously showed a normal profile of gamma interferon production subsequent to short-term, in vitro stimulation with viral peptide, irrespective of a concurrent CD4+ T-cell re..