The memory T cell response to West Nile virus in symptomatic humans following natural infection is not influenced by age and is dominated by a restricted set of CD8+ T cell epitopes.
We examined the West Nile virus (WNV)-specific T cell response in a cohort of 52 patients with symptomatic WNV infections, including neuroinvasive and non-invasive disease. Although all virus proteins were shown to contain T cell epitopes, certain proteins, such as E, were more commonly targeted by the T cell response. Most patients exhibited reactivity toward 3-4 individual WNV peptides; however, several patients exhibited reactivity toward >10 individual peptides. The relative hierarchy of T cell reactivities in all patients showed a fixed pattern that was sustained throughout the 12-mo period of the current study. Surprisingly, we did not observe any relationship between age and either the breadth or magnitude of the T cell response following infection. We also did not observe a relationship between disease severity and either the breadth or magnitude of the T cell response. The T cell epitopes were distributed in a non-random fashion across the viral polyprotein and a limited number of epitopes appeared to dominate the CD8(+) T cell response within our cohort. These data provide important new insight into the T cell response against WNV in humans.
Parsons
Robin
R
Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Lelic
Alina
A
Hayes
Lisa
L
Carter
Alexandra
A
Marshall
Laura
L
Evelegh
Carole
C
Drebot
Michael
M
Andonova
Maya
M
McMurtrey
Curtis
C
Hildebrand
William
W
Loeb
Mark B
MB
Bramson
Jonathan L
JL
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014901:West Nile Fever / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000276:immunology*
D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D006680:HLA Antigens