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. 1998 Dec 1;102(11):1969–1977. doi: 10.1172/JCI3290

Ex vivo analysis of cytotoxic T lymphocytes to measles antigens during infection and after vaccination in Gambian children.

A Jaye 1, A F Magnusen 1, A D Sadiq 1, T Corrah 1, H C Whittle 1
PMCID: PMC509149  PMID: 9835622

Abstract

The study of cytotoxic T cell responses to measles antigens during infection and after vaccination may provide insight into the immunopathology of the infection. It will also provide a knowledge of the immunity conferred by wild or attenuated virus, which will help in the design of new vaccines. Direct cytotoxic T cell responses, which did not require in vitro restimulation, were measured from peripheral blood by a standard 51Cr-release assay in 35 patients with acute measles, using HLA class I matched allogeneic B cells as targets. 77% showed specific responses to measles fusion protein, 69% to the hemagglutinin, and 50% to the nucleoprotein. These responses, which were related to severity of disease and history of previous vaccination, had waned by 14-24 wk after measles when memory responses to the same antigens could be elicited by restimulation in 71% of the 13 patients tested. A similar pattern followed vaccination: direct cytotoxic responses to fusion and hemagglutinin proteins were shown in 70% of the 20 children tested while 50% responded to the nucleoprotein. These responses, which were mediated by both CD8(+) and CD4(+) cells, faded over 6 wk when memory responses could be restimulated. Thus, a vigorous cytotoxic T lymphocyte response to fusion, hemagglutinin, and nucleoproteins is important in both natural and vaccine-induced immunity to measles.

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Selected References

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