Respiratory virus infections, such as those caused by influenza and parainfluenza viruses, pose substantial immunological demands on the mucosal surface of the lungs. However, we have only a rudimentary understanding of how cellular immune responses control and eradicate pulmonary infections. Recently, using Sendai virus as a mouse model of parainfluenza virus infection, we have identified a population of highly activated memory CD4+ T cells that persists in the lungs for months following recovery from an infection or following vaccination. Furthermore, we have shown that memory CD4+T cells mediate accelerated clearance of a secondary virus infection in the absence of antibody and that at least part of this control can be attributed to memory CD4+T cells that persist in the lung. These studies demonstrate that CD4+T cells can play an important role cellular immunity in the lung, but raise a substantial number of questions regarding their mechanism of action. In the current application, we propose to determine the precise contribution of memory CD4+T cells to secondary cellular immune responses and the capacity of different vaccine strategies to promote CD4+T cell immunity.
In Aim 1, we will determine how memory CD4+ T cells are maintained in the lung and how they participate in cellular immune responses to secondary infection. In particular, intratracheal transfer of marked lung memory T cells into naive mice will allow us to directly assess the proliferation and expression of effector functions by lung memory CD4+T cells during a secondary infection. This approach will also determine whether lung memory CD4+T cells accelerate the recruitment of host T cells and cells of the innate immune system.
In Aim 2, we will determine the mechanisms through which CD4+T cells mediate enhanced viral clearance. Studies will focus on whether CD4+T cells act alone, or whether there are requirements for other cell types. In addition, we will determine the roles of cytokines and CD4+T cell cytotoxicity in mediating enhanced viral clearance.
In Aim 3, we will determine optimal vaccination strategies for eliciting CD4+T cell immunity. Thus, we will assess the capacity of DNA vaccination, intranasal vaccination, and dendritic cell vaccination to induce anatomically and phenotypically distinct populations of memory CD4+T cells and compare this with the capacity to mediate accelerated viral clearance. Taken together, these studies will determine the mechanisms underlying CD4+T cell immunity to respiratory virus infections and the parameters that are critical for the development of vaccines designed to emphasize cellular immunity in the lung.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01HL069502-01
Application #
6442739
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZHL1-CSR-P (S1))
Program Officer
Musson, Robert
Project Start
2001-09-30
Project End
2005-07-31
Budget Start
2001-09-30
Budget End
2002-07-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2001
Total Cost
$389,250
Indirect Cost
Name
Trudeau Institute, Inc.
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Saranac Lake
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
12983
Ely, Kenneth H; Cookenham, Tres; Roberts, Alan D et al. (2006) Memory T cell populations in the lung airways are maintained by continual recruitment. J Immunol 176:537-43
Woodland, David L; Scott, Iain (2005) T cell memory in the lung airways. Proc Am Thorac Soc 2:126-31
Workman, Creg J; Cauley, Linda S; Kim, In-Jeong et al. (2004) Lymphocyte activation gene-3 (CD223) regulates the size of the expanding T cell population following antigen activation in vivo. J Immunol 172:5450-5
Woodland, David L; Randall, Troy D (2004) Anatomical features of anti-viral immunity in the respiratory tract. Semin Immunol 16:163-70
Roberts, Alan D; Woodland, David L (2004) Cutting edge: effector memory CD8+ T cells play a prominent role in recall responses to secondary viral infection in the lung. J Immunol 172:6533-7
Masopust, David; Vezys, Vaiva; Usherwood, Edward J et al. (2004) Activated primary and memory CD8 T cells migrate to nonlymphoid tissues regardless of site of activation or tissue of origin. J Immunol 172:4875-82
Ely, Kenneth H; Roberts, Alan D; Woodland, David L (2003) Cutting edge: effector memory CD8+ T cells in the lung airways retain the potential to mediate recall responses. J Immunol 171:3338-42
Crowe, Sherry R; Turner, Stephen J; Miller, Shannon C et al. (2003) Differential antigen presentation regulates the changing patterns of CD8+ T cell immunodominance in primary and secondary influenza virus infections. J Exp Med 198:399-410
Ely, Kenneth H; Cauley, Linda S; Roberts, Alan D et al. (2003) Nonspecific recruitment of memory CD8+ T cells to the lung airways during respiratory virus infections. J Immunol 170:1423-9
Cauley, Linda S; Cookenham, Tres; Hogan, Robert J et al. (2003) Renewal of peripheral CD8+ memory T cells during secondary viral infection of antibody-sufficient mice. J Immunol 170:5597-606

Showing the most recent 10 out of 15 publications