Pg. Stevenson et al., RECRUITMENT, ACTIVATION AND PROLIFERATION OF CD8(-CELLS IN AN IMMUNOPRIVILEGED SITE() MEMORY T), European Journal of Immunology, 27(12), 1997, pp. 3259-3268
The capacity of a memory cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) population to pr
otect against viral infections is well established, but the processes
underlying this protection are less well understood. We have used hete
rotypic intranasal immunization with influenza A/X31 (H3N2) to protect
against a subsequent infection with the neurovirulent influenza A/WSN
(H1N1) in either the cerebrospinal fluid or the immunoprivileged brai
n parenchyma. Viral clearance from both sites was associated with a lo
cal infiltration and proliferation of A/WSN-specific CD8(+) T cells. I
nfection in the cerebrospinal fluid elicited a proliferative response
in the draining lymph nodes, an anti-H1N1 serum antibody response and
an increase in the extracerebral A/WSN-specific CTL precursor frequenc
y. In contrast, infection in the brain parenchyma elicited no lymph no
de proliferative response or serum antibody response and caused a tran
sient decrease in the extracerebral CTL precursor frequency. Thus the
memory CTL population protected against an intracerebral viral infecti
on independent of any immune response occurring in systemic lymphoid t
issue.