CD4(+) T cell frequencies and Th1/Th2 cytokine patterns expressed in the acute and memory response to respiratory syncytial virus I-E-d-restricted peptides

The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-specific frequencies and cytokine exp ression patterns of acute and memory CD4(+) T cells from RSV strain-A- and strain-B-infected BALB/c mice were determined following restimulation with a panel of 14 predicted RSV I-E-d peptides from NSP-2, M, SH, F, and L prot eins. Ten of fourteen peptides stimulated intracellular Th1 and/or Th2 cyto kines in CD4(+) T cells from the mediastinal lymph nodes (MLN) and spleens of RSV strain-A-or strain-B-immune BALB/c mice. Spleen cells exhibited a pr edominant Th2 cytokine expression pattern after peptide stimulation, wherea s MLN cells exhibited a mixed Th1/Th2 cytokine pattern. For a few peptides, there were differences in the Th1/Th2 cytokine response to peptides from t he homologous versus heterologous RSV group. None of the 10 peptides induce d both Th1 and Th2 cytokines in cells from similarly immunized mice. The fr equency and breadth of cytokine expression by I-E-d-restricted CD4(+) T cel ls to peptide stimulation was diminished in the memory response. (C) 2001 A cademic Press.