Conserved T cell receptor usage in primary and recall responses to an immunodominant influenza virus nucleoprotein epitope

Abstract

The CD8+ T cell response to the immunodominant D bNP366 epitope has been analyzed sequentially to determine the prevalence and persistence of different T cell antigen receptor (TCR)Vβ8.3 clonotypes after primary and secondary influenza virus challenge. Based on the length and amino acid sequences of the complementarity-determining region 3 of TCRβ (CDR3β) loop and associated Jβ usage, the same dominant TCRβ signatures were found in the blood, the spleen, and the site of virus-induced pathology in the infected respiratory tract. Longitudinal analysis demonstrated that TCRβ prominent in the antigen-driven phase of response persisted into memory and were again expanded after secondary challenge..