Human influenza viruses and CD8(+) T cell responses.

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Human influenza viruses and CD8(+) T cell responses.

Curr Opin Virol. 2016 Feb;16:132-42

Authors: Grant EJ, Quiñones-Parra SM, Clemens EB, Kedzierska K

Abstract
Influenza A viruses (IAVs) cause significant morbidity and mortality worldwide, despite new strain-specific vaccines being available annually. As IAV-specific CD8(+) T cells promote viral control in the absence of neutralizing antibodies, and can mediate cross-reactive immunity toward distinct IAVs to drive rapid recovery from both mild and severe influenza disease, there is great interest in developing a universal T cell vaccine. However, despite detailed studies in mouse models of influenza virus infection, there is still a paucity of data on human epitope-specific CD8(+) T cell responses to IAVs. This review focuses on our current understanding of human CD8(+) T cell immunity against distinct IAVs and discusses the possibility of achieving a CD8(+) T cell mediated-vaccine that protects against multiple, distinct IAV strains across diverse human populations. We also review the importance of CD8(+) T cell immunity in individuals highly susceptible to severe influenza infection, including those hospitalised with influenza, the elderly and Indigenous populations.

PMID: 26974887 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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