Priming of virus-immune memory T cells in newborn mice

Neonatal BALB/c mice can be primed at birth by intravenous inoculation of a small dose of A/Puerto Rico/8/34 (H1N1) (PR8) influenza virus. UV-inactivated PR8 virus, or PR8 virus complexed with monoclonal antibody to give a secondary cytotoxic T lymphocyte response when restimulated in vitro as adults. The frequency of responding T cells after secondary stimulation in vitro is approximately 40% of that found for adult mice primed intraperitoneally with a large dose of PR8 virus. The majority of the T cells generated from mice primed at birth or as adults are cross-reactive for H-2-compatible targets infected with the PR8 (H1N1) or A/Hong Kong/X31 (H3N2) viruses. Splenocytes from neonates receiving UV-inactivated vaccinia virus at birth give an augmented secondary cytotoxic T lymphocyte response when restimulated 8 days later in adoptive irradiated adult hosts. We found no indications of specific immunological unresponsiveness in mice exposed to either virus.