Detailed analysis for inducing specific CD8 T cells via a CpG-DNA adjuvant

Abstract

An important question for vaccine development is how the adaptive immune system incorporates antigenic, costimulatory and inflammatory signals. Here, Cui et al. addressed the concept that antigenic and inflammatory signals were individually or cooperatively involved in effector CD8 T-cell expansion and differentiation by using a peptide-pulsed dendritic cell immunization system. The paper under evaluation introduced IL-12-enhanced effector CD8 T-cell expansion and differentiation to short-lived effector cells (SLECs). The authors also suggested that antigenic stimulation and inflammation needed to be coupled to induce SLEC formation, and that IL-12 produced by bystander cells played an important role in SLEC formation. IFN-gamma could be required for optimal IL-12 production. Their data also showed that CpG-B adjuvant increased SLEC formation, but did not increase the potential of CD8 T cells to differentiate into memory cells. Data in the paper should be considered in research into the development of new adjuvants.