HLA-Restricted CD8+ Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte, Interferon-γ, and Interleukin-4 Responses to Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in Infants and Children

• Published in: The Journal of infectious diseases 2001-03, Vol.183 (5), p.687-696
• Main Authors: Mbawuike, Innocent N., Wells, Janet, Byrd, Richard, Cron, Stanley G., Glezen, Paul, Piedra, Pedro A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Antibodies, Viral - analysis; Antibodies, Viral - immunology; Antigens, Viral - analysis; Antigens, Viral - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - immunology; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - virology; Child, Preschool; Children; Cohort Studies; Cytokines; Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Human respiratory syncytial virus; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infants; Infections; Infectious diseases; Interferon-gamma - immunology; Interleukin-4 - immunology; Major Articles; Male; Medical sciences; Microbiology; Orthomyxoviridae; Respiratory syncytial virus infections; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections - epidemiology; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections - immunology; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections - virology; Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human - immunology; Respiratory syncytial viruses; Seasons; T lymphocytes; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic - immunology; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic - virology; Texas - epidemiology; Vaccines, antisera, therapeutical immunoglobulins and monoclonal antibodies; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; Virology; Viruses
• ISSN: 0022-1899; 1537-6613
• DOI: 10.1086/318815

CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity, interferon (IFN)–γ, and interleukin (IL)–4 production were evaluated in a blinded manner among respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)–infected newborns and their mothers for 3 epidemic seasons. Most mothers (80%) exhibited RSV-specific CD8+ CTL activity. Twenty (80%) of the 26 infants exhibited significant RSV-specific CTL activity during or after their first RSV season. CTL frequency increased with RSV infection rate, reaching 75% by the end of the third season. Most infants who shed virus (75%) had a medically attended lower respiratory tract disease (LRD). In the first year, RSV-infected infants (virus culture and antibody increase) were more likely to develop CTL activity (10 of 13) than were uninfected infants (1 of 5; P=.02). Infants with CTL activity in the first year were less likely to have an LRD in the second year. CD8+ CTL levels correlated positively with IFN-γ (P