In vitro measurement of human T cell responses to varicella zoster virus antigen.
Means to quantitate cell-mediated immunity are increasingly in demand as modifications to existing vaccines and new vaccines are tested. For immunity to varicella zoster virus, there is over a decade of experience with estimates of responder cell frequency obtained by diluting the number of lymphocytes in antigen-stimulated cultures. This method shows substantial variations between subjects, so populations of 12 or more subjects per group are needed to make comparisons possible. Cytokine-based methods for T lymphocyte responses may prove more sensitive, as may direct antigen-binding methods using tetramers of peptide and histocompatibility antigens--but experience with both is very limited.
Hayward
A R
AR
Department of Pediatrics and Immunology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver 80262, USA.
D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D007371:Interferon-gamma