Antiviral cytotoxic T lymphocyte induction and vaccination

In developing vaccines to counteract viral infections, it is important to produce reagents that engender the type of immune response best suited to provide protection and avoid immunopathology. Recovery from infection is the principal role of T cell immunity, and cells that recognize virus-infected cells (cytotoxic T lymphocytes) and kill them--often before new virus is replicated--represent a crucial component of the recovery process. The cytotoxic T lymphocytes are particularly important in situations where the load of infection is high. In this review the cells and mediators, as well as the viral and host cell antigens involved in antiviral induction of cytotoxic T lymphocytes, are discussed. Particular attention is paid to the importance of the intracellular pathway of processing taken by viral antigens and the outcome in terms of the recognition of cytotoxic T lymphocytes. The new types of vaccines--especially subunits, antiidiotypes, and recombinant viral vectors--are discussed in terms of their likely effectiveness at inducing cytotoxic T lymphocytes.