title: Phenotypic and functional characterization of ex vivo T cell responses to the live attenuated herpes zoster vaccine.
abstract: To define the phenotypic characteristics and kinetics of T cell responses to a shingles vaccine in elderly individuals, 20 subjects > or =60 years of age received two doses of vaccine or placebo 6 weeks apart. VZV-specific T cell phenotypes and intracellular cytokines were determined by flow cytometry on blood mononuclear cells obtained pre-vaccination and up to 6 months after the second immunization. Results were compared with responses of five unvaccinated young adults. Pre-vaccination, elderly individuals had significantly lower VZV-specific effectors and cytokine-producing T cells compared with young adults. The vaccine significantly increased VZV-specific Th1, memory, early effector, and cutaneous homing receptor-bearing T cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics of the University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, CO 80262, USA.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Patterson-Bartlett
authors.forename: Myron J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.forename: Florian P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Schödel
authors.forename: Rupert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vessey
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weinberg
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D053061:Herpes Zoster Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D053061:Herpes Zoster Vaccine; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated