Bacillus Calmette Guerin Vaccination of Human Newborns Induces a Specific, Functional CD8 super(+) T Cell Response

Mounting evidence points to CD8 super(+) T cells playing an important role in protective immunity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The only available vaccine against tuberculosis, bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG), has traditionally been viewed not to induce these cells optimally. In this study, we...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Immunology 2006-10, Vol.177 (8), p.5647-5651
Main Authors: Murray, Rose Ann, Mansoor, Nazma, Harbacheuski, Ryhor, Soler, Jorge, Davids, Virginia, Soares, Andreia, Hawkridge, Anthony, Hussey, Gregory D, Maecker, Holden, Kaplan, Gilla, Hanekom, Willem A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
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Summary:Mounting evidence points to CD8 super(+) T cells playing an important role in protective immunity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The only available vaccine against tuberculosis, bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG), has traditionally been viewed not to induce these cells optimally. In this study, we show that vaccination of human newborns with BCG does indeed induce a specific CD8 super(+) T cell response. These cells degranulated or secreted IFN- gamma , but not both, when infant blood was incubated with BCG. This stimulation also resulted in proliferation and up-regulation of cytotoxic molecules. Overall, the specific CD8 super(+) T cell response was quantitatively smaller than the BCG-induced CD4 super(+) T cell response. Incubation of whole blood with M. tuberculosis also caused CD8 super(+) T cell IFN- gamma expression. We conclude that BCG induces a robust CD8 super(+) T cell response, which may contribute to vaccination-induced protection against tuberculosis.
ISSN:0022-1767
1365-2567