H. Bright et al., COMPARISON OF THE T-HELPER CELL RESPONSE INDUCED BY RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS AND ITS FUSION PROTEIN IN BALB C MICE/, Vaccine, 13(10), 1995, pp. 915-922
Specific proliferative T-cell responses were induced in the lymph node
cells (LNC) of mice immunised with a sucrose density gradient purifie
d preparation of respiratory syncytial (RS) virus or an immunoaffinity
purified preparation of the F glycoprotein. Inhibition studies and fl
ow cytometric analysis showed that the responding cell population were
CD4(+) T cells. The cytokines produced by virus-specific and F-specif
ic cells were assessed using the CTLL cell line. Peak quantities of cy
tokine were consistently detected in the supernatants of stimulated cu
ltures 24 h prior to maximum proliferation. The proportion of IL-2 rel
eased was determined by blocking IL-2 activity with an anti-IL-2 monoc
lonal antibody. In cultures of RS virus primed LNC challenged with who
le virus there was a switch of cytokine production from 70% IL-2 at da
y 3 to 80% IL-4 by 6 days of culture. In contrast, LNC cultures from m
ice immunised with F protein secreted 75-100% IL-2 throughout the cult
ure period. These data suggest that after 6 days of challenge with vir
al antigen, the RS virus-primed LNC response consists of T helper cell
s which are predominantly of the Th2 subset, secreting IL-4, whilst F
protein-primed LNC secrete large quantities of IL-2 and can therefore
be classified as predominantly of the Th1 subset.