@article{85711,
  keywords = {Animals, Kinetics, Mice, Cell Division, Cell Differentiation, Mice, Inbred BALB C, CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes, Immunologic Memory, Lymphocyte Activation, Immunization, Immunization, Secondary},
  author = {Phillip Wong and Mar{\'\i}a Lara-Tejero and Alexander Ploss and Ingrid Leiner and Eric Pamer},
  title = {Rapid development of T cell memory.},
  abstract = {<p>Prime-boost immunization is a promising strategy for inducing and amplifying pathogen- or tumor-specific memory CD8 T cell responses. Although expansion of CD8 T cell populations following the second Ag dose is integral to the prime-boost strategy, it remains unclear when, after priming, memory T cells become competent to proliferate. In this study, we show that Ag-specific CD8 T cells with the capacity to undergo extensive expansion are already present at the peak of the primary immune response in mice. These early memory T cells represent a small fraction of the primary immune response and, at early time points, their potential to proliferate is obscured by large effector T cell populations that rapidly clear Ag upon reimmunization. With sufficient Ag boosting, however, secondary expansion of these memory cells can be induced as early as 5-7 days following primary immunization. Importantly, both early and delayed boosting result in similar levels of protective immunity to subsequent pathogen challenge. Early commitment and differentiation of memory T cells during primary immunization suggest that a short duration between priming and boosting is feasible, providing potential logistic advantages for large-scale prime-boost vaccination of human populations.</p>
},
  year = {2004},
  journal = {J Immunol},
  volume = {172},
  pages = {7239-45},
  month = {06/2004},
  issn = {0022-1767},
  language = {eng},
}