A recombinant Sendai virus is controlled by CD4 effector T cells responding to a secreted human immunodeficiency virus type 1 envelope glycoprotein

Abstract

The importance of antigen-specific CD4+ helper T cells in virus infections is well recognized, but their possible role as direct mediators of virus clearance is less well characterized. Here we describe a recombinant Sendai virus strategy for probing the effector role(s) of CD4+ T cells. Mice were vaccinated with DNA and vaccinia virus recombinant vectors encoding a secreted human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope protein and then challenged with a Sendai virus carrying a homologous HIV-1 envelope gene. The primed mice showed (i) prompt homing of numerous envelope-primed CD4+ T cell populations to the virus-infected lung, (ii) substantial production of gamma interferon, and inte..