Regulation of CD8+ T cell responses to infection with parasitic protozoa.
There are over 10,000 species of parasitic protozoa, a subset of which can cause considerable disease in humans. Here we examine in detail the complex immune response generated during infection with a subset of these parasites: Trypanosoma cruzi, Leishmania sp., Toxoplasma gondii, and Plasmodium sp. While these particular species perhaps represent the most studied parasites in terms of understanding how T cells function during infection, it is clear that the lessons learned from this body of work are also relevant to the other protozoa known to induce a CD8(+) T cell response. This review will highlight some of the key studies that established that CD8(+) T cells play a major role in protective immunity to protozoa, the factors that promote the generation as well as maintenance of the CD8(+) T cell response during these infections, and draw attention to some of the gaps in our knowledge. Moreover, the development of new tools, including MHC-Class I tetramer reagents and the use of TCR transgenic mice or genetically modified parasites, has provided a better appreciation of how parasite specific CD8(+) T cell responses are initiated and new insights into their phenotypic plasticity.
Jordan
Kimberly A
KA
Department of Pathobiology, University of Pennsylvania, 380 South University Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. kajordan@mail.med.upenn.edu
Hunter
Christopher A
CA
D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D007891:Leishmania / Q000276:immunology; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000276:immunology; D011528:Protozoan Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000276:immunology
D016052:Protozoan Vaccines