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Updated: Sep 28, 2025
An In vitro Model to Study Immune Responses of Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells to Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection
Published on: December 10, 2013
Effect of Infant RSV Infection on Memory T Cell Responses at Age 2-3 Years
Tatiana Chirkova1, Christian Rosas-Salazar2, Tebeb Gebretsadik3
1Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, United States.
Insights
Infant respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection can lead to reduced T cell responses later in childhood. This may increase the risk of future respiratory illnesses and impacts vaccine development.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Pediatrics
- Virology
Background:
- The long-term impact of infant respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection on subsequent immune responses remains unclear.
- Understanding these effects is crucial for managing childhood respiratory illnesses and informing vaccine strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether RSV infection in infancy alters T cell memory responses at ages 2-3 years.
- To compare immune memory in children with and without a history of infant RSV infection.
Main Methods:
- A nested cohort study involving healthy, term children.
- Collection of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) at ages 2-3 years.
- Assessment of RSV-specific memory T cell responses following *in vitro* stimulation of PBMCs.
Main Results:
- Children infected with RSV during infancy exhibited lower memory T cell responses to RSV stimulation at ages 2-3 years compared to uninfected children.
- This reduction was observed across multiple type-1 and type-17 immune markers and various memory T cell subsets.
- The findings were independent of the initial infection's severity.
Conclusions:
- Infant RSV infection has lasting effects on T cell-mediated immune memory.
- This altered immune memory may contribute to increased susceptibility to subsequent respiratory viral infections in childhood.
- These results have implications for RSV vaccine development and understanding long-term respiratory health outcomes.
Background:
It is unknown whether RSV infection in infancy alters subsequent RSV immune responses.
Methods:
In a nested cohort of healthy, term children, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were collected at ages 2-3 years to examine RSV memory T cell responses among children previously RSV infected during infancy (first year of life) compared to those RSV-uninfected during infancy. The presence vs. absence of infant RSV infection was determined through a combination of RSV molecular and serologic testing. Memory responses were measured in RSV stimulated PBMCs.
Results:
Compared to children not infected with RSV during the first year of life, children infected with RSV during infancy had lower memory T cell responses at ages 2-3 years to in vitro stimulation with RSV for most tested type-1 and type-17 markers for a number of memory T cell subsets.
Conclusions:
RSV infection in infancy has long-term effects on memory T cell responses. This is the first study to show the potential for RSV infection in infancy to have long-term effects on the immune memory irrespective of the severity of the infection. Our results suggest a possible mechanism through which infant RSV infection may result in greater risk of subsequent childhood respiratory viral morbidity, findings also relevant to vaccine development.
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