-
Views
-
Cite
Cite
Samantha Hoskins, Janet Lines, Beth Garvy, The role of TGFβ in the development of Th17 and Treg cells during influenza viral infection in neonatal mice (137.6), The Journal of Immunology, Volume 184, Issue Supplement_1, April 2010, Page 137.6, https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.184.Supp.137.6
Close - Share Icon Share
Abstract
Influenza virus is responsible for more infant hospitalizations and deaths than any other vaccine preventable disease in America. Our laboratory has established a neonatal murine model to influenza and have reported that T cells in the neonatal lung are less activated than in adults and do not infiltrate the alveolar spaces. It is known that TGFβ is elevated in the lungs of neonatal mice, and since neonatal mice do not respond with a typical Th1 response to influenza virus, the dynamics of T regulatory (Treg) cells and the Th17 response was evaluated. Our current studies show that neonatal mice have higher levels of T regulatory cells (Treg) than adults, and these elevated levels persist during influenza viral infection. However, in the absence of Treg modulation, neonatal T cells were not more activated and did not infiltrate into the alveolar spaces during an influenza viral infection. Larger numbers of neonatal CD4 T cells produced IL-17A than adults during viral clearance. Th17 cells may contribute to the clearance of influenza in the immunosuppressive environment of the developing neonatal lung. Investigation of the importance of TGFβ signaling on T cell activation and migration is currently underway using conditional knockout mice.
