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Updated: Mar 9, 2026
Phenotypic and Functional Analysis of Activated Regulatory T Cells Isolated from Chronic Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus-infected Mice
Published on: June 22, 2016
Reducing persistent polyomavirus infection increases functionality of virus-specific memory CD8 T cells
Qingsong Qin1, Matthew Lauver1, Saumya Maru1
1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, 500 University Drive, Hershey, PA 17033, USA.
Abstract:
Mouse polyomavirus (MuPyV) causes a smoldering persistent infection in immunocompetent mice. To lower MuPyV infection in acutely and persistently infected mice, and study the impact of a temporal reduction in viral loads on the memory CD8 T cell response, we created a recombinant MuPyV in which a loxP sequence was inserted into the A2 strain genome upstream of the early promoter and another loxP sequence was inserted in cis into the intron shared by all three T antigens. Using mice transgenic for tamoxifen-inducible Cre recombinase, we demonstrated that reduction in MuPyV load during persistent infection was associated with differentiation of virus-specific CD8 T cells having a superior recall response. Evidence presented here supports the concept that reduction in viral load during persistent infection can promote differentiation of protective virus-specific memory CD8 T cells in patients at risk for diseases caused by human polyomaviruses.
Insights
Reducing mouse polyomavirus (MuPyV) infection in mice led to better virus-specific memory CD8 T cell responses. This suggests lowering viral load can enhance protective immunity against polyomaviruses.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Mouse polyomavirus (MuPyV) establishes persistent infections in immunocompetent hosts.
- Understanding viral load dynamics is crucial for managing persistent viral infections and their impact on adaptive immunity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of reducing MuPyV viral load on the development of memory CD8 T cell responses.
- To assess the potential for viral load reduction to enhance protective immunity against polyomaviruses.
Main Methods:
- Development of a recombinant MuPyV with loxP sites for inducible viral clearance.
- Utilized tamoxifen-inducible Cre recombinase transgenic mice to control viral replication.
- Analyzed the differentiation and recall response of virus-specific CD8 T cells following viral load reduction.
Main Results:
- Temporal reduction of MuPyV load during persistent infection was achieved.
- Reduced viral load correlated with the differentiation of virus-specific CD8 T cells with enhanced recall capabilities.
- This suggests a mechanism for improving protective memory T cell responses.
Conclusions:
- Reduction of viral load during persistent MuPyV infection promotes the differentiation of potent virus-specific memory CD8 T cells.
- This finding supports the therapeutic potential of viral load reduction strategies for polyomavirus-associated diseases.
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