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Sustained Specific and Cross-Reactive T Cell Responses to Zika and Dengue Virus NS3 in West Africa.
- Source :
-
Journal of Virology . Apr2018, Vol. 92 Issue 7, p1-20. 20p. - Publication Year :
- 2018
-
Abstract
- Recent studies on the role of T cells in Zika virus (ZIKV) infection have shown that T cell responses to Asian ZIKV infection are important for protection, and that previous dengue virus (DENV) exposure amplifies the protective T cell response to Asian ZIKV. Human T cell responses to African ZIKV infection, however, remain unexplored. Here, we utilized the modified anthrax toxin delivery system to develop a flavivirus enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot (ELISPOT) assay. Using human ZIKV and DENV samples from Senegal, West Africa, our results demonstrate specific and cross-reactive T cell responses to nonstructural protein 3 (NS3). Specifically, we found that T cell responses to NS3 protease are ZIKV and DENV specific, but responses to NS3 helicase are cross-reactive. Sequential sample analyses revealed immune responses sustained many years after infection. These results have important implications for African ZIKV/DENV vaccine development, as well as for potential flavivirus diagnostics based on T cell responses. IMPORTANCE The recent Zika virus (ZIKV) epidemic in Latin America and the associated congenital microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome have raised questions as to why we have not recognized these distinct clinical diseases in Africa. The human immunologic response to ZIKV and related flaviviruses in Africa represents a research gap that may shed light on the mechanisms contributing to protection. The goal of our study was to develop an inexpensive assay to detect and characterize the T cell response to African ZIKV and DENV. Our data show long-term specific and crossreactive human immune responses against African ZIKV and DENV, suggesting the usefulness of a diagnostic based on the T cell response. Additionally, we show that prior flavivirus exposure influences the magnitude of the T cell response. The identi- fication of immune responses to African ZIKV and DENV is of relevance to vaccine development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0022538X
- Volume :
- 92
- Issue :
- 7
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Journal of Virology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 128565586
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1128/JVI.01992-17