Cutting edge: rapid in vivo CTL activity by polyoma virus-specific effector and memory CD8+ T cells.
For viruses that establish persistent infection, continuous immunosurveillance by effector-competent antiviral CD8(+) T cells is likely essential for limiting viral replication. Although it is well documented that virus-specific memory CD8(+) T cells synthesize cytokines after short term in vitro stimulation, there is limited evidence that these T cells exhibit cytotoxicity, the dominant antiviral effector function. Here, we show that antiviral CD8(+) T cells in mice acutely infected by polyoma virus, a persistent mouse pathogen, specifically eliminate viral peptide-pulsed donor spleen cells within minutes after adoptive transfer and do so via a perforin-dependent mechanism. Antiviral memory CD8(+) T cells were similarly capable of rapidly mobilizing potent Ag-specific cytotoxic activity in vivo. These findings strongly support the concept that a cytotoxic effector-memory CD8(+) T cell population operates in vivo to control this persistent viral infection.
Byers
Anthony M
AM
Department of Pathology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
Kemball
Christopher C
CC
Moser
Janice M
JM
Lukacher
Aron E
AE
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000502:physiology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology*; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D019463:Mice, Inbred MRL lpr; D011120:Polyomavirus / Q000276:immunology*; D027601:Polyomavirus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte