Gamma delta T cells facilitate adaptive immunity against West Nile virus infection in mice.
West Nile (WN) virus causes fatal meningoencephalitis in laboratory mice, and gammadelta T cells are involved in the protective immune response against viral challenge. We have now examined whether gammadelta T cells contribute to the development of adaptive immune responses that help control WN virus infection. Approximately 15% of TCRdelta(-/-) mice survived primary infection with WN virus compared with 80-85% of the wild-type mice. These mice were more susceptible to secondary challenge with WN virus than the wild-type mice that survived primary challenge with the virus. Depletion of gammadelta T cells in wild-type mice that survived the primary infection, however, does not affect host susceptibility during secondary challenge with WN virus. Furthermore, gammadelta T cells do not influence the development of Ab responses during primary and at the early stages of secondary infection with WN virus. Adoptive transfer of CD8(+) T cells from wild-type mice that survived primary infection with WN virus to naive mice afforded partial protection from lethal infection. In contrast, transfer of CD8(+) T cells from TCRdelta(-/-) mice that survived primary challenge with WN virus failed to alter infection in naive mice. This difference in survival correlated with the numeric and functional reduction of CD8 memory T cells in these mice. These data demonstrate that gammadelta T cells directly link innate and adaptive immunity during WN virus infection.
Wang
Tian
T
Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA.
Gao
Yunfei
Y
Scully
Eileen
E
Davis
C Todd
CT
Anderson
John F
JF
Welte
Thomas
T
Ledizet
Michel
M
Koski
Raymond
R
Madri
Joseph A
JA
Barrett
Alan
A
Yin
Zhinan
Z
Craft
Joseph
J
Fikrig
Erol
E
D019264:Adoptive Transfer; D000818:Animals; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000637:transplantation / Q000821:virology; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000235:genetics; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000235:genetics; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007156:Immunologic Memory / Q000235:genetics; D008212:Lymphocyte Depletion; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D012008:Recurrence; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology; D014901:West Nile Fever / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000276:immunology*
D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta