Primary CTL response magnitude in mice is determined by the extent of naive T cell recruitment and subsequent clonal expansion

摘要: CD8+ T cell responses to viral infection are characterized by the emergence of dominant and subdominant CTL populations. The immunodominance hierarchies these populations highly reproducible for any given spectrum virus-induced peptide-MHCI complexes likely determined multiple factors. Recent studies demonstrate a direct correlation between naive epitope-specific precursor (CTLp) frequency magnitude response after antigen challenge. Thus, number available precursors in pool has emerged as key predictor immunodominance. In contrast this, we report here no consistent relationship CTLp subsequent immune 4 influenza virus–derived epitopes following intranasal mice with A virus. Rather, characteristic, antigen-driven hierarchy was extent recruitment from duration their continued expansion over course infection. These findings suggest possibilities enhancing protective memory maximizing both size diversity typically through rational vaccine design.