Journal
HUMAN IMMUNOLOGY
Volume 65, Issue 5, Pages 476-485Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC
DOI: 10.1016/j.humimm.2004.02.021
Keywords
T helper cells; cytokines; gender; human cytomegalovirus; infectious diseases
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Funding
- NCI NIH HHS [R01-CA77544, CA33572, P01-CA30206] Funding Source: Medline
- NCRR NIH HHS [M01-RR00043-38] Funding Source: Medline
- NIAID NIH HHS [R01-AI43267, R21-AI44313, AI52065] Funding Source: Medline
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Cell-mediated memory immune responses to viral antigens are important for protection against viruses causing persistent or acute infections. This study compared the cytokine profile of memory T-helper cells specific for cytomegalovirus (CMV) in healthy CMV-seropositive men and women. The cytokine response reflected T(H)1 bias, with dominant secretion of interferon (IFN)-gamma along with moderate levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin (IL)-10, and IL-2. Analyzed by gender, women had higher and significant spontaneous release of IFN-gamma and CMV-specific IL-2 secretion. Similar analysis with herpes simplex virus-1 showed a trend toward higher cytokine responsiveness in women, but the differences were not statistically significant. In contrast, men had statistically significant higher influenza virus-specific tumor necrosis factor-a secretion. IL-4 and IL-5, both T(H)2 cytokines, were low for all three viruses. The results show a predominant T(H)1 antiviral cytokine T-help memory response with significant differences linked to gender. Such differences may have an impact in the design of immunization strategies against CMV. Human Immunology 65, 476-485 (2004). (C) American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics, 2004. Published by Elsevier Inc.
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