The limits of protection by "memory" T cells in Ig(-/-) mice persistently infected with a gamma-herpesvirus

Abstract

Can CD4(+) and CD8(+) "memory" T cells that are generated and maintained in the context of low-level virus persistence protect, in the absence of antibody, against a repeat challenge with the same pathogen? Although immune T cells exert effective, long-term control of a persistent gamma-herpesvirus (gammaHV68) in Ig(-/-) microMT mice, subsequent exposure to a high dose of the same virus leads to further low-level replication in the lung. This lytic phase in the respiratory tract is dealt with effectively by the recall of memory T cells induced by a gammaHV68 recombinant (M3LacZ) that does not express the viral M3 chemokine binding protein. At least for the CD8(+) response, greater numbers of..