CHARACTERIZATION OF HUMAN PROLIFERATIVE T-CELL RESPONSES TO ADENOVIRUS

Although cellular immune responses are likely important for recovery f rom acute adenovirus infection, they have not been studied in humans, As a first step, a sensitive assay for the detection of adenovirus-spe cific proliferative T cell responses was developed. Peripheral blood m ononuclear cells from 29 of 30 healthy adults exhibited specific proli ferative responses to adenovirus type 2 antigen. Adenovirus-specific p roliferation was found to be mediated by CD4(+) T cells. Specific prol iferative responses were detected to purified Ad2 virions and by Ad2-i nfected cell lysates, indicating that adenovirus structural proteins a re important targets, In addition, specific proliferative responses to the uncommon adenovirus type 35 were found in persons without serolog ic evidence of prior Ad35 infection, These data suggest that adenoviru s-specific CD4(+) T cells recognize conserved antigens among different serotypes and that a majority of persons develop long-lived CD4(+) T cell responses to adenovirus.