Pathogen manipulation of antigen-specific T cell responses

Immunology Interest Group Seminar Series Although protective immunity to intracellular pathogens depends on T cell responses, most studies focus on events related to T cell priming and differentiation in secondary lymphoid tissues. However, effector T cells must act at sites of infection, generally in non-lymphoid tissues, to control pathogen growth and limit tissue damage. Tuberculosis, in addition to being a major problem of global health, is a chronic infection characterized by induction of apparently-appropriate T cell responses in which T cells are routinely unable to clear the pathogen (Mycobacterium tuberculosis). This presentation will focus on mechanisms that limit the efficacy of antigen-specific CD4+ T cells in mice and humans infected with M. tuberculosis. In particular, the presentation will describe multiple mechanisms exploited by the bacteria to modulate antigen presentation in vivo, to promote persistence of the pathogen, and chronic infection. It will also discuss evidence that the success of evasion of human T cell responses can be assessed through long-term evolutionary studies of the bacteria.Air date: 1/11/2017 4:15:00 PM
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