Cytolytic CD4 Cells: Direct Mediators in Infectious Disease and Malignancy

Overview

Journal Cell Immunol

Publisher Elsevier

Specialties Allergy & Immunology
Cell Biology

Date 2010 Mar 19

PMID 20236628

Citations 82

Authors

Deborah M Brown

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

CD4 T cells have traditionally been regarded as helpers and regulators of adaptive immune responses; however, a novel role for CD4 T cells as direct mediators of protection against viral infections has emerged. CD4 T cells with cytolytic potential have been described for almost 40 years, but their role in host protection against infectious disease is only beginning to be realized. In this review, we describe the current literature identifying these cells in patients with various infections, mouse models of viral infection and our own work investigating the development of cytolytic CD4 cells in vivo and in vitro. CD4 CTL are no longer considered an artefact of cell culture and may play a physiological role in viral infections such as EBV, CMV, HIV and influenza. Therefore, vaccine strategies aimed at targeting CD4 CTL should be developed in conjunction with vaccines incorporating B cell and CD8 CTL epitopes.

Citing Articles

Oligoclonal CD4CXCR5 T cells with a cytotoxic phenotype appear in tonsils and blood.

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Single-Cell Analysis Identifies Distinct Populations of Cytotoxic CD4 T Cells Linked to the Therapeutic Efficacy of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Yang X, Wu J, Fan L, Chen B, Zhang S, Zheng W J Inflamm Res. 2024; 17:4505-4523.

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Cytotoxic CD4 T cells in chronic viral infections and cancer.

Malyshkina A, Bruggemann A, Paschen A, Dittmer U Front Immunol. 2023; 14:1271236.

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CD4 T cells in chronic myeloid leukemia present MHC class II-dependent and IFN-γ-dependent cytotoxic capacity.

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