Loss of Multi-Epitope Specificity in Memory CD4+ T Cell Responses to B. Pertussis with Age: e83583

Pertussis is still occurring in highly vaccinated populations, affecting individuals of all ages. Long-lived Th1 CD4+ T cells are essential for protective immunity against pertussis. For better understanding of the limited immunological memory to Bordetella pertussis, we used a panel of Pertactin an...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2013-12, Vol.8 (12)
Main Authors: Han, Wanda GH, Twillert, Inonge van, Poelen, Martien CM, Helm, Kina, Kassteele, Jan vande, Verheij, Theo JM, Versteegh, Florens GA, Boog, Claire JP, Els, C Mvan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bordetella pertussis
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Summary:Pertussis is still occurring in highly vaccinated populations, affecting individuals of all ages. Long-lived Th1 CD4+ T cells are essential for protective immunity against pertussis. For better understanding of the limited immunological memory to Bordetella pertussis, we used a panel of Pertactin and Pertussis toxin specific peptides to interrogate CD4+ T cell responses at the epitope level in a unique cohort of symptomatic pertussis patients of different ages, at various time intervals after infection. Our study showed that pertussis epitope-specific T cell responses contained Th1 and Th2 components irrespective of the epitope studied, time after infection, or age. In contrast, the breadth of the pertussis-directed CD4+ T cell response seemed dependent on age and closeness to infection. Multi-epitope specificity long-term after infection was lost in older age groups. Detailed knowledge on pertussis specific immune mechanisms and their insufficiencies is important for understanding resurgence of pertussis in highly vaccinated populations.
ISSN:1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0083583