Sterilizing immunity to influenza virus infection requires local antigen-specific T cell response in the lungs.
Sterilizing immunity is a unique immune status, which prevents effective virus infection into the host. It is different from the immunity that allows infection but with subsequent successful eradication of the virus. Pre-infection induces sterilizing immunity to homologous influenza virus challenge in ferret. In our antigen-specific experimental system, mice pre-infected with PR8 influenza virus through nasal route are likewise resistant to reinfection of the same strain of virus. The virus is cleared before establishment of effective infection. Intramuscular influenza virus injection confers protection against re-infection with facilitated virus clearance but not sterilizing immunity. Pre-infection and intramuscular injection generates comparable innate immunity and antibody response, but only pre-infection induces virus receptor reduction and efficient antigen-specific T cell response in the lungs. Pre-infection with nH1N1 influenza virus induces virus receptor reduction but not PR8-specific T cell immune response in the lungs and cannot prevent infection of PR8 influenza virus. Pre-infection with PR8 virus induced PR8-specific T cell response in the lungs but cannot prevent infection of nH1N1 virus either. These results reveal that antigen-specific T cell immunity is required for sterilizing immunity.
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University, Taoyuan- 33333, Taiwan.
Avijit
A
Dutta
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University, Taoyuan- 33333, Taiwan.
Ching-Tai
CT
Huang
Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University, Taoyuan- 33333, Taiwan.
Chun-Yen
CY
Lin
Department of Pathology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University, Taoyuan- 33333, Taiwan.
Tse-Ching
TC
Chen
Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University, Taoyuan- 33333, Taiwan.
Yung-Chang
YC
Lin
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University, Taoyuan- 33333, Taiwan.
Chia-Shiang
CS
Chang
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University, Taoyuan- 33333, Taiwan.
Yueh-Chia
YC
He
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / Q000276:immunology*; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000941:Antigens