The number of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-specific memory CD8 T cells in the lung is critical for their ability to inhibit RSV vaccine-enhanced pulmonary eosinophilia

J Immunol. 2008 Dec 1;181(11):7958-68. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.181.11.7958.

Abstract

Children that were administered a formalin-inactivated respiratory syncytial virus (FI-RSV) vaccine experienced enhanced respiratory disease, including pulmonary eosinophilia, after contracting a natural RSV infection. RSV vaccine-enhanced disease can be mimicked in BALB/c mice immunized with either FI-RSV or with a recombinant vaccinia virus (vacv) expressing the RSV attachment (G) protein. We have recently demonstrated that memory CD8 T cells directed against the RSV immunodominant M2(82-90) epitope inhibit the development of pulmonary eosinophilia in either vacvG- or FI-RSV-immunized mice by reducing the total number of Th2 cells in the lung after RSV challenge. In this study, we show that memory CD8 T cells specific to a subdominant epitope within the RSV fusion (F) protein fail to inhibit the development of pulmonary eosinophilia after RSV challenge of mice previously co-immunized with vacvF and with either vacvG or FI-RSV. We observed that the inability of RSV F(85)-specific memory CD8 T cells to inhibit the development of pulmonary eosinophilia was largely due to an inadequate total number of F(85)-specific memory CD8 T cells in the lung at early times after RSV challenge. Increasing the number of F(85)-specific memory CD8 T cells after immunization grants these cells the ability to inhibit RSV vaccine-enhanced pulmonary eosinophilia. Moreover, we demonstrate that RSV-specific memory CD8 T cells, when present in sufficient numbers, inhibit the production of the Th2-associated chemokines CCL17 and CCL22. Taken together, these results indicate that RSV-specific memory CD8 T cells may alter the trafficking of Th2 cells and eosinophils into the lung.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Cell Movement / immunology
  • Chemokine CCL17 / immunology
  • Chemokine CCL22 / immunology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Eosinophilia / immunology*
  • Eosinophilia / prevention & control
  • Eosinophils / immunology
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / genetics
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / immunology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunologic Memory / drug effects
  • Immunologic Memory / immunology*
  • Lung / immunology*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / immunology
  • Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / prevention & control
  • Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccines / adverse effects
  • Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccines / genetics
  • Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccines / immunology*
  • Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / genetics
  • Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / immunology*
  • Th2 Cells / immunology
  • Vaccines, Inactivated / adverse effects
  • Vaccines, Inactivated / immunology
  • Vaccinia virus / genetics
  • Vaccinia virus / immunology
  • Viral Envelope Proteins / genetics
  • Viral Envelope Proteins / immunology

Substances

  • Ccl17 protein, mouse
  • Ccl22 protein, mouse
  • Chemokine CCL17
  • Chemokine CCL22
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte
  • Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccines
  • Vaccines, Inactivated
  • Viral Envelope Proteins
  • attachment protein G