Human effector and memory CD8+ T cell responses to smallpox and yellow fever vaccines

Immunity. 2008 May;28(5):710-22. doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2008.02.020. Epub 2008 May 8.

Abstract

To explore the human T cell response to acute viral infection, we performed a longitudinal analysis of CD8(+) T cells responding to the live yellow fever virus and smallpox vaccines--two highly successful human vaccines. Our results show that both vaccines generated a brisk primary effector CD8(+) T cell response of substantial magnitude that could be readily quantitated with a simple set of four phenotypic markers. Secondly, the vaccine-induced T cell response was highly specific with minimal bystander effects. Thirdly, virus-specific CD8(+) T cells passed through an obligate effector phase, contracted more than 90% and gradually differentiated into long-lived memory cells. Finally, these memory cells were highly functional and underwent a memory differentiation program distinct from that described for human CD8(+) T cells specific for persistent viruses. These results provide a benchmark for CD8(+) T cell responses induced by two of the most effective vaccines ever developed.

MeSH terms

  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • B-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / immunology
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Immunologic Memory*
  • Lymphocyte Activation
  • Smallpox Vaccine / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / metabolism
  • Vaccination
  • Vaccinia virus / immunology
  • Yellow Fever Vaccine / immunology*
  • Yellow Fever Vaccine / metabolism

Substances

  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I
  • Smallpox Vaccine
  • Yellow Fever Vaccine