Differential regulation of antiviral T-cell immunity results in stable CD8+ but declining CD4+ T-cell memory

D Homann, L Teyton, M Oldstone - Nature medicine, 2001 - nature.com
D Homann, L Teyton, M Oldstone
Nature medicine, 2001nature.com
Emerging evidence indicates that CD8+ and CD4+ T-cell immunity is differentially regulated.
Here we have delineated differences and commonalities among antiviral T-cell responses
by enumeration and functional profiling of eight specific CD8+ and CD4+ T-cell populations
during primary, memory and recall responses. A high degree of coordinate regulation
among all specific T-cell populations stood out against an approximately 20-fold lower peak
expansion and prolonged contraction phase of specific CD4+ T-cell populations …
Abstract
Emerging evidence indicates that CD8+ and CD4+ T-cell immunity is differentially regulated. Here we have delineated differences and commonalities among antiviral T-cell responses by enumeration and functional profiling of eight specific CD8+ and CD4+ T-cell populations during primary, memory and recall responses. A high degree of coordinate regulation among all specific T-cell populations stood out against an approximately 20-fold lower peak expansion and prolonged contraction phase of specific CD4+ T-cell populations. Surprisingly, although CD8+ T-cell memory was stably maintained for life, levels of specific CD4+ memory T cells gradually declined. However, this decay, which seemed to result from less efficient rescue from apoptosis, did not affect functionality of surviving virus-specific CD4+ T cells. Our results indicate that CD4+ T-cell memory might become limiting under physiological conditions and that conditions precipitating CD4+ T-cell loss might compromise protective immunity even in the presence of unimpaired CD8+ T-cell responses.
nature.com