Cure of progressive murine leishmaniasis: interleukin 4 dominance is abolished by transient CD4(+) T cell depletion and T helper cell type 1-selective cytokine therapy.

Progressive infection with Leishmania major in susceptible BALB/c mice is mediated by interleukin (IL)-4-producing T helper cell type 2 (Th2) CD4(+) T cells that, once established, become resistant to Th1-deviating therapies with recombinant (r)IL-12 and/or neutralizing anti-IL-4 antibodies. We sought to restore protective immunity in advanced leishmaniasis by depletion of Th2-biased CD4(+) populations and by cytokine-directed reconstitution of Th1 cellular responses during lymphocyte recovery. Treatment with cytolytic GK1.5 anti-CD4 mAb alone did not reverse disease in 3 wk-infected BALB/c mice, but GK1.5 combined with anti-IL-4 antibody and intralesional rIL-12 cured cutaneous lesions in 80% of mice and established a Th1-polarized cytokine response to L. major antigen protective against reinfection. The curative effects of GK1.5 were not replaced by cytotoxic anti-CD8 monoclonal antibody 2.43 or nondepleting anti-CD4 mAb YTS177, confirming that depletion of CD4(+) cells was specific and essential for therapeutic effect. Finally, combined CD4(+) depletion and IL-4 neutralization were curative, indicating that neither increased parasite burden nor altered accessory cell function independently biased towards Th2 reconstitution in advanced leishmaniasis. Advanced leishmaniasis can be cured by T cell depletion and cytokine-directed recovery of Th1 cellular responses, suggesting novel interventions for other immune-mediated diseases and identifying distinct roles for CD4(+) T cell and non-T cell in the maintenance of Th2 and Th1 phenotypes.     

c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK)1 and JNK2 signaling pathways have divergent roles in CD8(+) T cell-mediated antiviral immunity

c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinases (JNK) play important roles in T helper cell (Th) proliferation, differentiation, and maintenance of Th1/Th2 polarization. To determine whether JNKs are involved in antiviral T cell immunity, and whether JNK1 and JNK2 bear biological differences, we investigated the immune responses of JNK1-deficient and JNK2-deficient mice to lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). After LCMV infection, wild-type (JNK(+/+)) mice had a 5- to 10-fold increase in splenic CD8(+) T cells. In contrast, infected JNK1(-/-) mice showed a significantly lower virus-specific CD8(+) T cell expansion. However, JNK1(-/-) mice cleared LCMV infection with similar kinetics as JNK(+/+) mice. Splenic T cells from LCMV-infected JNK1(-/-) animals produced interferon gamma after stimulation with viral peptides. However, fewer JNK1(-/-) T cells acquired an activated phenotype (CD44(hi)) and more JNK1(-/-)CD8(+)CD44(hi) cells underwent apoptosis than JNK(+/+) cells at the peak of the primary response. In contrast, LCMV-infected JNK2(-/-) mice generated more virus-specific CD8(+) T cells than JNK(+/+) mice. These results indicate that JNK1 and JNK2 signal pathways have distinct roles in T cell responses during a viral infection. JNK1 is involved in survival of activated T cells during immune responses, and JNK2 plays a role in control of CD8(+) T cell expansion in vivo.     

A role for CD44 in an antigen-induced murine model of pulmonary eosinophilia

Previous studies established that IL-5-producing CD4(+) T cells play a pivotal role in allergic respiratory inflammation. It was also reported that CD4(+) T cells express higher levels of CD44 in the airway than in peripheral blood of patients with allergic respiratory diseases. We have used experimental pulmonary eosinophilia induced in mice by Ascaris suum (Asc) extract to investigate the role of CD44 in the development of allergic respiratory inflammation. Intraperitoneal administration of anti-CD44 mAb prevented both lymphocyte and eosinophil accumulation in the lung. Anti-CD44 mAb also blocked antigen-induced elevation of Th2 cytokines as well as chemokines (CCL11, CCL17) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Treatment with anti-CD44 mAb inhibited the increased levels of hyaluronic acid (HA) and leukotriene concentrations in BALF that typically result from antigen challenge. Anti-CD44 mAb also blocked antigen-induced airway hyperresponsiveness. An anti-CD44 mAb (IM7) inhibited the HA-binding ability of splenocytes associated with decreased levels of CD44. Soluble CD44 levels in serum were increased in Asc-challenged IM7-treated mice, but not in KM201-treated mice, compared with Asc-challenged rat IgG-treated mice. Ab's that block CD44-HA binding reduced allergic respiratory inflammation by preventing lymphocyte and eosinophil accumulation in the lung. Thus, CD44 may be critical for development of allergic respiratory inflammation.     

Immune response against lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection in mice without CD8 expression.

The immune response against lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) was studied in a mutant mouse strain that does not possess CD8+ T lymphocytes. Virus-specific cytotoxic T cell activity was generated in spleens of wild-type mice in an acute LCMV infection but was not measurable in mutant mice. Injection of replicating LCMV into footpads of wild-type mice induced a CD8+ T cell-mediated swelling that peaked on day 8, followed by a CD4+ T cell-mediated swelling that peaked on day 11, whereas mutant mice exhibited only the CD4+ T cell-mediated swelling. After intracerebral inoculation with LCMV-Armstrong, all wild-type mice died of classical CD8+ T cell-dependent choriomeningitis in 8-10 days. Mutant mice showed symptoms of general malaise but most of them survived. Mutant mice depleted of CD4+ T cells by monoclonal antibody treatment showed no clinical signs of sickness. On day 9 after intravenous infection with LCMV-WE, virus was detected at high titers in spleens and livers of mutant mice but not in those of wild-type mice. On day 70 after injection of LCMV-WE into footpads, virus was not detected in wild-type mice and in one of the three mutant mice tested, but was still measurable in kidneys of the other two mutant mice. These results confirm in a new animal model that CD8+ T cell-mediated immunity is crucial in LCMV clearance and in the immunopathological disease during LCMV infection. In addition, our results demonstrated a less severe form of choriomeningitis mediated by CD4+ T cells and slow clearance of LCMV by alternative pathways independent of CD8+ T cells.     

Roles of CD4+ and CD8+ cells, and the effect of administration of recombinant murine interferon gamma in listerial infection

Studies were made on the effects of in vivo administration of anti-CD4 mAb, anti-CD8 mAb, or a combination of both mAbs on multiplication of bacteria, the levels of serum transaminases, and mortality in mice infected with Listeria monocytogenes. Results showed that in sublethal infection, CD8+ cells enhanced the peak of bacterial multiplication and liver cell necrosis, and CD4+ cells suppressed CD8+ cell-mediated enhancement. Results also showed that either CD4+ or CD8+ cells were necessary for, and capable of, mediating clearance of the bacteria. CD8+ cells were more efficient than CD4+ cells, but for optimal clearance both were necessary. In lethal listeriosis, treatment of mice with anti-CD8 mAb or a combination of both anti-CD4 and anti-CD8 mAbs, but not anti-CD4 mAb only, protected mice from death by decreasing multiplication of bacteria in the liver and spleen after a peak of approximately 10(8) CFU, and lowering the elevated serum levels of transaminases. These findings indicated that CD8+ cells were responsible for causing irreversible systemic Listeria infection and severe liver necrosis. In lethal listeriosis, administration of rMuIFN-gamma markedly prolonged survival by decreasing multiplication of bacteria and promoting recovery from liver necrosis.     

Anti-4-1BB monoclonal antibodies abrogate T cell-dependent humoral immune responses in vivo through the induction of helper T cell anergy

The 4-1BB receptor (CDw137), a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily, has been shown to costimulate the activation of T cells. Here we show that anti-mouse 4-1BB monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) inhibit thymus-dependent antibody production by B cells. Injection of anti-4-1BB mAbs into mice being immunized with cellular or soluble protein antigens induced long-term anergy of antigen-specific T cells. The immune response to the type II T cell-independent antigen trinintrophenol-conjugated Ficoll, however, was not suppressed. Inhibition of humoral immunity occurred only when anti-4-1BB mAb was given within 1 wk after immunization. Anti-4-1BB inhibition was observed in mice lacking functional CD8(+) T cells, indicating that CD8(+) T cells were not required for the induction of anergy. Analysis of the requirements for the anti-4-1BB-mediated inhibition of humoral immunity revealed that suppression could not be adoptively transferred with T cells from anti-4-1BB-treated mice. Transfer of BALB/c splenic T cells from sheep red blood cell (SRBC)-immunized and anti-4-1BB-treated mice together with normal BALB/c B cells into C.B-17 severe combined immunodeficient mice failed to generate an anti-SRBC response. However, B cells from the SRBC-immunized, anti-4-1BB-treated BALB/c mice, together with normal naive T cells, exhibited a normal humoral immune response against SRBC after transfer, demonstrating that SRBC-specific B cells were left unaffected by anti-4-1BB mAbs.     

Selective activation of gamma/delta + T cell clones by single anti-CD2 antibodies

The CD2 antigen is the target for an "alternative" T cell activation pathway. Numerous studies have demonstrated that pairs of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) directed toward two different epitopes are required for activation of T cell receptor (TCR)-alpha/beta + T cells via CD2. We have now explored the activation of human TCR-gamma/delta + T cell clones by a panel of anti-CD2 mAbs directed against the sheep erythrocyte-binding (T11.1) epitope of CD2. Seven of seven gamma/delta + clones expressing different molecular forms of the TCR-gamma/delta responded to stimulation by a single anti-CD2 mAb (OKT11, 9E8, BW0110, M-T910) with IL-2 secretion and/or proliferation. Immobilization of anti-CD2 mAbs in microculture plates was essential for activation of gamma/delta + clones, which occurred in the absence of feeder cells. In addition to interleukin 2 (IL-2) production and proliferation, anti-CD2 mAbs also triggered cytotoxic effector activity in gamma/delta + clones as measured against FcR+ P815 target cells. In contrast to gamma/delta + clones (but in line with established data), none of five CD4+ or CD8+ TCR-alpha/beta + clones were activated by any of the tested individual anti-CD2 mAbs. Taken together, our results reveal a striking difference between cloned gamma/delta + and alpha/beta + T cells in that gamma/delta + T cells are selectively activated by a single anti-CD2 (T11.1) mAb, without need for the simultaneous signal of a second anti-CD2 mAb directed against another (T11.2 or T11.3) CD2 epitope.     

CD69-mediated pathway of lymphocyte activation: anti-CD69 monoclonal antibodies trigger the cytolytic activity of different lymphoid effector cells with the exception of cytolytic T lymphocytes expressing T cell receptor alpha/beta

The effect of anti-CD69 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) on the induction of the cytolytic activity in different types of lymphoid effector cells has been investigated. Three anti-CD69 mAbs, including the reference mAb MLR3 and two new mAbs (c227 and 31C4), have been used. All cloned CD3-CD16+ natural killer (NK) cells belonging to different subsets (as defined by the surface expression of GL183 and/or EB6 antigens) were efficiently triggered by anti-CD69 mAbs and lysed P815 mastocytoma cells in a redirected killing assay. Triggering of the cytolytic activity could also be induced in CD3-CD16- NK clones, which fail to respond to other stimuli (including anti-CD16, anti-CD2 mAbs, or phytohemagglutinin). A similar triggering effect was detected in T cell receptor (TCR) gamma/delta+ clones belonging to different subsets. On the other hand, anti-CD69 mAbs could not induce triggering of the cytolytic activity in TCR alpha/beta+ cytolytic clones. Since all thymocytes are known to express CD69 antigen after cell activation, we analyzed a series of phenotypically different cytolytic thymocyte populations and clones for their responsiveness to anti-CD69 mAb in a redirected killing assay. Again, anti-CD69 mAb triggered TCR gamma/delta+ but not TCR alpha/beta+ thymocytes. Anti-CD69 mAb efficiently triggered the cytolytic activity of "early" thymocytes lines or clones (CD3-4-8-7+), which lack all other known pathways of cell activation. Thus, it appears that CD69 molecules may initiate a pathway of activation of cytolytic functions common to a number of activated effector lymphocytes with the remarkable exception of TCR alpha/beta+ cytolytic cells.     

体外阻断CD40-CD40L共刺激途径减轻小鼠异基因骨髓移植中移植物抗宿主病的研究

目的在异基因骨髓移植移植物抗宿主病(GVHD)小鼠模型中,观察抗CD40L单克隆抗体(单抗)体外预处理供鼠T细胞输注,观察其减轻GVHD的作用并探讨其作用机制.方法供鼠(C57BL/6H-2b)脾T细胞作为反应细胞,受鼠(BALB/cH-2d)脾细胞作为刺激细胞,分别加抗CD40L单抗或不加单抗进行混合培养,培养第5天的细胞作为经体外诱导后的脾T淋巴细胞,分别混合供鼠骨髓细胞后移植给接受8.0 Gy全身照射预处理的受鼠.比较受鼠GVHD发生和造血重建.在移植后不同时间点采用流式细胞仪检测受鼠脾细胞中T细胞表型的改变,用ELISA法检测外周血血清中Th1和Th2类细胞因子的水平.结果移植后对照组受鼠均于25 d内死于GVHD,实验组GVHD的发生率为20%,与对照组小鼠相比,存活率和存活时间明显增高和延长(P<0.01);存活的实验组小鼠(8只)第40天时骨髓细胞中H-2Db阳性细胞为(93.54±2.32)%.实验组小鼠CD3+CD4+、CD3+CD8+、CD4+CD25+、CD4+CD69+、CD8+CD25+、CD4+CD40L+和CD8+CD69+T细胞比例明显低于对照组(P<0.05),CD8+CD40L+和CD4+CD45RA+T细胞比例在两组中变化差异无显著性(P>0.05).实验组受鼠血清中细胞因子水平明显低于对照组(P<0.05).结论应用抗CD40L单抗体外孵育的脾T细胞与骨髓细胞混合移植,可明显减少GVHD的发生率,且不影响供鼠造血干细胞的植入,CD4+和CD8+T细胞对异体抗原发生耐受,耐受化T 细胞的活化障碍发生于活化的早期和成熟阶段,同时抑制了Th1和Th2类细胞因子分泌,为抗CD40L单抗应用于临床移植预防GVHD提供了实验依据.     

CD40L-deficient mice show deficits in antiviral immunity and have an impaired memory CD8+ CTL response

The ligand for CD40 (CD40L) is expressed on the surface of activated CD4+ T cells and its role in T-B cell collaborations and thymus- dependent humoral immunity is well established. Recently, by generating CD40L-knockout mice, we have confirmed its previously described role in humoral immunity and defined another important function of this molecule in the in vivo clonal expansion of antigen-specific CD4+ T cells. Here, we investigated the potential in vivo role of CD40L in antiviral immunity by examining the immune response mounted by CD40L- deficient mice following infection with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), Pichinde virus, or vesicular stomatitis virus. Humoral immune responses of CD40L-deficient mice to these viruses were severely compromised, although moderate titres of antiviral IgM and some IgG2a were produced by virus-infected CD40L-deficient mice by a CD4+ T cell- independent mechanism. By contrast, CD40L-deficient mice made strong primary CTL responses to all three viruses. Interestingly however, although memory CTL activity was detectable in CD40L-deficient mice two months after infection with LCMV, the memory CTL response was much less efficient than in wild-type mice. Together, the results show that CD40- CD40L interactions are required for strong antiviral humoral immune responses, and reveal a novel role for CD40L in the establishment and/or maintenance of CD8+ CTL memory.     

CD137-mediated immunotherapy for allergic asthma

The prevalence of asthma continues to increase. Asthma is caused by a Th2 cell-driven immune response. Its optimal treatment remains a challenge, and a sufficient immunotherapeutic approach to treating asthma has yet to be found. Using a murine asthma model, we show that a single injection of an anti-CD137 (4-1BB) mAb prevents the development of airway hyperreactivity, eosinophilic airway inflammation, excessive mucus production, and elevated IgE during the observation period of 7 weeks. Most importantly, even established disease is completely reversed by anti-CD137 mAb administration. The protection is associated with markedly reduced Th2 cytokine production and increased secretion of the Th1 cytokine IFN-gamma. While B lymphocytes are partly depleted, the number of CD8+ T cells is increased. Blockade of IFN-gamma and depletion of CD8+ T cells during treatment with anti-CD137 mAb reduces in part but does not abrogate the protective effect of CD137 mAb. In contrast, CD137 mAb-mediated CD4+ T cell anergy is critical for the observed effects, since transfer of CD4+ T cells from CD137 mAb-treated mice conveyed protection. These data demonstrate, for the first time to our knowledge, the capacity of anti-CD137 mAb to ameliorate allergic asthma, and they indicate CD137 as a possible target for therapeutic intervention in this disease.     

CD137在Treg细胞上的表达及对其功能的抑制作用

目的探讨CD137分子在CD4 CD25 调节性T细胞(Treg)上的表达及其生物学意义。方法抗人CD137单抗加入PHA活化的T细胞培养体系中,流式细胞术分析细胞表型的变化,细胞计数分析细胞的增殖。结果流式细胞术分析(FACS)结果显示,PHA活化后CD137在Treg细胞表面上调表达。细胞计数结果表明,抗CD137单抗加入PHA活化的T细胞培养体系中T细胞增殖的总数明显增加,而FACS结果显示,其中Treg细胞的含量明显下降,并下调CD95的表达。结论Treg细胞活化后,CD137表达明显增加,其介导的共刺激信号可发挥抑制Treg细胞功能的作用,进而促进其它T亚群的增殖。     

Melanoma immunotherapy by targeted IL-2 depends on CD4(+) T-cell help mediated by CD40/CD40L interaction

The induction of tumor-protective immunity against malignancies remains a major challenge in cancer immunotherapy. A novel, humanized anti-ganglioside-GD(2)-IL-2 immunocytokine (hu14.18-IL-2) induced CD8(+) T cells to eradicate established pulmonary metastases of B78-D14 murine melanoma, in a process that required help by CD4(+) T cells and was mediated by the CD40/CD40 ligand (CD40L) interaction. The anti-tumor effect was diminished in mice deficient in CD4(+) T-cells. Three lines of evidence show that CD4(+) T-cell help was mediated by CD40/CD40L interaction but not by endogenous IL-2 production. First, the hu14.18-IL-2-induced anti-tumor response is partially abrogated in C57BL/6J CD40L knockout (KO) mice in contrast to C57BL/6J IL-2 KO animals, in which the immunocytokine was completely effective. Second, partial abrogation of the anti-tumor effect is induced with anti-CD40L antibodies to the same extent as with CD4(+) T-cell depletion. Third, a complete anti-tumor response induced by hu14.18-IL-2 can be reconstituted in C57BL/6J CD40L KO mice by simultaneous stimulation with an anti-CD40 mAb. These results suggest that help provided by CD4(+) T cells via CD40/CD40L interactions in our tumor model is crucial for effective immunotherapy with an IL-2 immunocytokine.     

Coexpression and functional cooperation of CTLA-4 and CD28 on activated T lymphocytes

T cell costimulation by molecules on the antigen presenting cell (APC) is required for optimal T cell proliferation. The B7 molecule on APC binds the T lymphocyte receptor CD28, triggering increased interleukin 2 (IL-2) production and subsequent T cell proliferation. CTLA-4 is a predicted T cell membrane receptor homologous to CD28, which also binds the B7 counter receptor, but whose distribution and function are unknown. Here we have developed monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) specific for CTLA-4 and have investigated these questions. mAbs were produced that bound CTLA-4 but not CD28, and that blocked binding of CTLA-4 to B7. CTLA-4 expression as measured by these mAbs was virtually undetectable on resting T cells, but was increased several hundred-fold during T cell activation. On activated lymphocytes, CTLA-4 was expressed equally on CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subsets and was coexpressed with CD25, CD28, and CD45RO. CTLA-4 expression was lower than that of CD28, reaching a maximum of approximately 1/30-50 the level of CD28. Despite its lower expression, CTLA-4 was responsible for much of the B7 binding by large activated T cells. Anti-CTLA-4 mAb 11D4 and anti-CD28 mAb 9.3 acted cooperatively to inhibit T cell adhesion to B7, and to block T cell proliferation in primary mixed lymphocyte culture. When coimmobilized with anti T cell receptor (TCR) mAb, anti-CTLA-4 mAbs were less effective than anti-CD28 mAb 9.3 at costimulating proliferation of resting or activated T cells. However, coimmobilized combinations of anti-CD28 and anti-CTLA-4 were synergistic in their ability to augment anti-TCR-induced proliferation of preactivated CD4+ T cells. These results indicate that CTLA-4 is coexpressed with CD28 on activated T lymphocytes and cooperatively regulates T cell adhesion and activation by B7.     

体外阻断CD137-CD137L途径控制小鼠移植物抗宿主病的研究

目的探讨体外阻断活化的供鼠T淋巴细胞CD137-CD137L共刺激途径控制小鼠异基因骨髓移植（allo-BMT）后急性移植物抗宿主病（aGVHD）及其机制。方法供、受鼠的淋巴细胞体外混合培养，分别加入抗CD137L单抗或不加抗CD137L单抗培养后与供鼠骨髓细胞混合移植给受鼠。采用流式细胞术检测移植后受鼠T细胞亚群的变化，RT-PCR法检测细胞因子mRNA表达水平的变化，观察移植后受鼠GVHD的临床及病理改变。结果与未用抗CD137L单抗组相比，应用抗CD137L单抗组CD3^＋CD8^＋T细胞明显降低（P＜0．01）；IFN-γ表达水平明显减低（P＜0．01），IL-10的表达水平明显升高（P＜0．01）。移植后未预防GVHD组（A组）小鼠移植后15d内均死于aGVHD。采用甲氨蝶呤＋环孢素预防GVHD组（B组）小鼠100％发生aGVHD，但临床及病理改变程度较A组轻，平均存活时间[（9．5±2．5）d]较A组[（7．5±1．5）d]略有延长。采用抗CD137L单抗预防GVHD组（C组）受鼠aGVHD的发生率为70％，程度比A、B两组轻，与A、B两组相比生存率明显提高（P＜0．01），平均存活时间[（16．0±2．5）d]明显延长（P＜0．01），30％的小鼠生存时间大于30d。结论抗CD137L单抗体外阻断CD137-CD137L共刺激途径能有效控制小鼠GVHD，可能与影响Ⅰ类和Ⅱ类T细胞因子平衡有关。     

Viral Immune Evasion Due to Persistence of Activated T Cells Without Effector Function

We examined the regulation of virus-specific CD8 T cell responses during chronic lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection of mice. Our study shows that within the same persistently infected host, different mechanisms can operate to silence antiviral T cell responses; CD8 T cells specific to one dominant viral epitope were deleted, whereas CD8 T cells responding to another dominant epitope persisted indefinitely. These virus-specific CD8 T cells expressed activation markers (CD69^hi, CD44^hi, CD62L^lo) and proliferated in vivo but were unable to elaborate any antiviral effector functions. This unresponsive phenotype was more pronounced under conditions of CD4 T cell deficiency, highlighting the importance of CD8– CD4 T cell collaboration in controlling persistent infections. Importantly, in the presence of CD4 T cell help, adequate CD8 effector activity was maintained and the chronic viral infection eventually resolved. The persistence of activated virus-specific CD8 T cells without effector function reveals a novel mechanism for silencing antiviral immune responses and also offers new possibilities for enhancing CD8 T cell immunity in chronically infected hosts.     

Loss of the signaling adaptor TRAF1 causes CD8+ T cell dysregulation during human and murine chronic infection

The signaling adaptor TNFR-associated factor 1 (TRAF1) is specifically lost from virus-specific CD8 T cells during the chronic phase of infection with HIV in humans or lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) clone 13 in mice. In contrast, TRAF1 is maintained at higher levels in virus-specific T cells of HIV controllers or after acute LCMV infection. TRAF1 expression negatively correlates with programmed death 1 expression and HIV load and knockdown of TRAF1 in CD8 T cells from viral controllers results in decreased HIV suppression ex vivo. Consistent with the desensitization of the TRAF1-binding co-stimulatory receptor 4-1BB, 4-1BBL-deficient mice have defects in viral control early, but not late, in chronic infection. TGFβ induces the posttranslational loss of TRAF1, whereas IL-7 restores TRAF1 levels. A combination treatment with IL-7 and agonist anti-4-1BB antibody at 3 wk after LCMV clone 13 infection expands T cells and reduces viral load in a TRAF1-dependent manner. Moreover, transfer of TRAF1(+) but not TRAF1(-) memory T cells at the chronic stage of infection reduces viral load. These findings identify TRAF1 as a potential biomarker of HIV-specific CD8 T cell fitness during the chronic phase of disease and a target for therapy.     

Effects of IL-7 on memory CD8 T cell homeostasis are influenced by the timing of therapy in mice

IL-7 is integral to the generation and maintenance of CD8(+) T cell memory, and insufficient IL-7 is believed to limit survival and the persistence of memory CD8(+) T cells. Here, we show that during the mouse T cell response to lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, IL-7 enhanced the number of memory CD8(+) T cells when its administration was restricted to the contraction phase of the response. Likewise, IL-7 administration during the contraction phase of the mouse T cell response to vaccinia virus or a DNA vaccine potentiated antigen-specific CD8(+) memory T cell proliferation and function. Qualitatively, CD8(+) T cells from IL-7-treated mice exhibited superior recall responses and improved viral control. IL-7 treatment during the memory phase stimulated a marked increase in the number of memory CD8(+) T cells, but the effects were transient. IL-7 therapy during contraction of the secondary CD8(+) T cell response also expanded the pool of memory CD8(+) T cells. Collectively, our studies show differential effects of IL-7 on memory CD8(+) T cell homeostasis and underscore the importance of the timing of IL-7 therapy to effectively improve CD8(+) T cell memory and protective immunity. These findings may have implications in the clinical use of IL-7 as an immunotherapeutic agent to bolster vaccine-induced CD8(+) T cell memory.