title: Maintenance of CD8+ T cells during acute viral infection of the central nervous system requires CD4+ T cells but not interleukin-2.
abstract: The JHM strain of mouse hepatitis virus (JHMV) is rapidly cleared from the central nervous system (CNS) by CD8(+) T cells. In the absence of CD4(+) T cells, fewer CD8(+) T cells are found within the CNS in association with a coordinate increase in apoptotic lymphocytes. Previous data suggested that CD4(+) T cells may support CD8(+) T cells through secretion of interleukin-2 (IL-2). To determine the in vivo role of IL-2 during CNS infection, IL-2 signaling was inhibited via administration of a neutralizing IL-2-specific monoclonal antibody (mAb). In contrast to depletion of CD4(+) T cells, inhibition of IL-2 signaling did not influence CD8(+) T cell infiltration, effector cell function or survival within the CNS. These data suggest that the cellular immune response to acute neurotropic JHMV infection requires a distinct CD4(+) T cell component, but is independent of a requirement for IL-2 for induction, activation, recruitment, and/or maintenance of CD8(+) T cells within the CNS during acute infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA. jiehao@usc.edu
authors.forename: Jiehao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Hinton
authors.forename: Stephen A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Stohlman
authors.forename: Chih-Pin
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Lingwen
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Norman W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Marten
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D020805:Central Nervous System Viral Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D018352:Coronavirus Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D006517:Murine hepatitis virus
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2