title: Variability and gender differences in memory T cell immunity to varicella-zoster virus in healthy adults.
abstract: Latent varicella zoster virus (VZV) can reactivate and cause zoster, the prevention of which relies upon cellular immunity to VZV. To assess temporal variation of VZV cell-mediated immunity in healthy naturally immune adults, we evaluated VZV-specific responder cell frequencies (RCF) longitudinally over 1 year in each of 25 adults. VZV-specific CD4+ T cells were detected (p < 0.003) and showed minimal variability in RCF. Additional analysis of VZV T cell RCF revealed differences between genders, with only males (p < 0.005) having detectable VZV-specific memory CD4+ T cell responses by this method. Taken together, results suggest that further studies regarding immunization of younger adults and females with the modified, high-potency live attenuated VZV vaccine may be warranted.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-520, USA. nklein@stanford.edu
authors.forename: Nicola P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Tyson H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Holmes
authors.forename: Margaret A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sharp
authors.forename: Thomas C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Heineman
authors.forename: Mark R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Schleiss
authors.forename: David I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Bernstein
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kemble
authors.forename: Ann M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Arvin
authors.forename: Cornelia L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Dekker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D007371:Interferon-gamma