title: Induction of virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes as a basis for the development of broadly protective influenza vaccines.
abstract: There is considerable interest in the development of broadly protective influenza vaccines because of the continuous emergence of antigenic drift variants of seasonal influenza viruses and the threat posed by the emergence of antigenically distinct pandemic influenza viruses. It has been recognized more than three decades ago that influenza A virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes recognize epitopes located in the relatively conserved proteins like the nucleoprotein and that they cross-react with various subtypes of influenza A viruses. This implies that these CD8+ T lymphocytes may contribute to protective heterosubtypic immunity induced by antecedent influenza A virus infections. In the present paper, we review the evidence for the role of virus-specific CD8+ T lymphocytes in protective immunity against influenza virus infections and discuss vaccination strategies that aim at the induction of cross-reactive virus-specific T-cell responses.
authors: Department of Virology, Erasmus Medical Center, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Marine L B
authors: ML
authors: Hillaire
authors: Albert D M E
authors: AD
authors: Osterhaus
authors: Guus F
authors: GF
authors: Rimmelzwaan
mesh_terms: D056738:Cross Protection / Q000276:immunology*; D003429:Cross Reactions / Q000276:immunology; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D009975:Orthomyxoviridae / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D019444:Vaccines, DNA
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D019444:Vaccines, DNA