Abstract
The BALB/c mouse model for human respiratory syncytial virus infection has contributed significantly to our understanding of the relative role for CD4+ and CD8+ T cells to immune protection and pathogenic immune responses. To enable comparison of RSV-specific T cell responses in different mouse strains and allow dissection of immune mechanisms by using transgenic and knockout mice that are mostly available on a C57BL/6 background, we characterized the specificity, level and functional capabilities of CD8+ T cells during primary and secondary responses in lung parenchyma, airways and spleens of C57BL/6 mice. During the primary response, epitopes were recognized originating from the matrix, fusion, nucleo- and attachment proteins, whereas the secondary response focused predominantly on the matrix epitope. C57BL/6 mice are less permissive for hRSV infection than BALB/c mice, yet we found CD8+ T cell responses in the lungs and bronchoalveolar lavage, comparable to the responses described for BALB/c mice.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 157-168 |
Journal | Virology |
Volume | 352 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2006 |
Keywords
- balb/c mice
- antigen presentation
- interferon-alpha
- fusion protein
- inbred mice
- identification
- vaccine
- tract
- susceptibility
- eosinophilia