Journal
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Volume 212, Issue 3, Pages 484-494Publisher
OXFORD UNIV PRESS INC
DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiv071
Keywords
cytomegalovirus; congenital infection; fetus; CD4 T cell; CD8 T cell; exhaustion
Categories
Funding
- Fonds pour la Formation a la Recherche dans l'Industrie et l'Agriculture
- Fonds David et Alice van Buuren
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Background. Cytomegalovirus ( CMV) infection during fetal life causes severe symptoms and is associated with prolonged viral excretion. Previous studies reported low CD4(+) T-cell responses to CMV infection in early life, contrasting with large responses of effector CD8(+) T cells. The mechanisms underlying the defective CD4(+) T-cell responses and the possible dissociation with CD8(+) T-cell responses have not been clarified. Methods. The magnitude and the quality of the fetal CD8(+) and CD4(+) T-cell responses to CMV infection were compared to those of adults with primary or chronic infection. Results. In utero CMV infection induced oligoclonal expansions of fetal CD4(+) and CD8(+) T lymphocytes expressing a T-helper type 1 or Tc1 effector phenotype similar to that of adult CMV-specific cells. However, the effector cytokine responses and the polyfunctionality of newborn CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells were markedly lower than those of adult cells. This reduced functionality was associated with a higher expression of the programmed death 1 inhibitory receptor, and blockade of this receptor increased newborn T-cell responses. Conclusions. Functional exhaustion limits effector CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-lymphocyte responses to CMV during fetal life.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available