Search

The CD8+cytotoxic T cell response to pathogens is thought to be CD4+helper T cell independent because infectious agents provide their own inflammatory signals. Mice that lack CD4+T cells mount a primary CD8 response toListeria monocytogenesequal to that of wild-type mice and rapidly clear the infection. However, protective memory to a challenge is gradually lost in the former animals. Memory CD8+T cells from normal mice can respond rapidly, but memory CD8+T cells that are generated without CD4 help are defective in their ability to respond to secondary encounters with antigen. The results highlight a previously undescribed role for CD4 help in promoting protective CD8 memory development.

The selection of T cells requires their exposure to a repertoire of peptides generated by an organelle whose structure is thymus-specific.

The immune effect of a cytokine bound to an antibody is paradoxically much stronger than that of the cytokine alone, suggesting a way to lower therapeutic doses and thereby reduce side effects.