Memory CD8(+) T cells from naturally acquired primary dengue virus infection are highly cross-reactive

Cross-reactive memory T cells induced by primary infection with one of the four serotypes of dengue virus (DENV) are hypothesized to have an immunopathological function in secondary heterologous DENV infection. To define the T-cell response to heterologous serotypes, we isolated HLA-A*1101-restricted epitope-specific CD8(+) T-cell lines from primary DENV-immune donors. Cell lines exhibited marked cross-reactivity toward peptide variants representing the four DENV serotypes in tetramer binding and functional assays. Many clones responded similarly to homologous and heterologous serotypes with striking cross-reactivity between the DENV-1 and DENV-3 epitope variants. In vitro-stimulated T-cell lines consistently revealed a hierarchical induction of MIP-1 beta>degranulation>tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha)>interferon-gamma (IFN gamma), which depended on the concentration of agonistic peptide. Phosphoflow assays showed peptide dose-dependent phosphorylation of ERK1/2, which correlated with cytolysis, degranulation, and induction of TNF alpha and IFN gamma, but not MIP-1 beta production. This is the first study to show significant DENV serotype-cross-reactivity of CD8(+) T cells after naturally acquired primary infection. We also show qualitatively different T-cell receptor signaling after stimulation with homologous and heterologous peptides. Our data support a model whereby the order of sequential DENV infections influences the immune response to secondary heterologous DENV infection, contributing to varying disease outcomes. Immunology and Cell Biology (2011) 89, 122-129; doi:10.1038/icb.2010.61; published online 27 April 2010