The CD4+ T-cell response to adenovirus is focused against conserved residues within the hexon protein.
Adenovirus is a significant pathogen in immunocompromised patients and is widely utilized as a gene delivery vector, so a detailed understanding of the human immune response to adenovirus infection is critical. This study characterized the adenovirus-specific CD4(+) T-cell response of healthy donors by incubation with whole virus or with individual hexon and fiber proteins. Adenovirus-specific CD4(+) T cells averaged 0.26 % of the CD4(+) T-cell pool and were detectable in all donors. T cells recognizing the highly conserved hexon protein accounted for 0.09 %, whereas no response was observed against the fiber protein. A panel of hexon-specific CD4(+) T-cell clones was generated and shown to lyse targets infected with adenovirus from different serotypes and species. Three CD4 T-cell epitopes are described, which map to highly conserved regions of the hexon protein.
Onion
David
D
CRUK Institute for Cancer Studies, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
Crompton
Laura J
LJ
CRUK Institute for Cancer Studies, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
Milligan
Donald W
DW
Department of Haematology, Heartlands Hospital, Birmingham B9 5SS, UK.
Moss
Paul A H
PAH
CRUK Institute for Cancer Studies, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
Lee
Steven P
SP
CRUK Institute for Cancer Studies, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
Mautner
Vivien
V
CRUK Institute for Cancer Studies, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D002460:Cell Line; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008212:Lymphocyte Depletion; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D036022:Capsid Proteins; D006680:HLA Antigens; C018315:hexon capsid protein, Adenovirus