TRANSFER OF CD8+ T-CELLS INTO SCID MICE AND ACTIVATION OF MEMORY VIRUS-SPECIFIC CYTOTOXIC T-CELLS

The requirements for the activation of naive and memory CD8+ cytotoxic T (Tc) cells into effector virus-specific Tc cells after transferring them into SCID mice were investigated. SCID mice reconstituted with splenocytes or purified CD8+ T cells from naive or influenza-immune syngeneic mice and immunized with influenza virus generated effector Tc cells specific for influenza virus-infected target cells in vitro. The kinetics of the response varied between those two populations. The generation of effector Tc cells after transfer of memory CD8+ T cells indicates that there exists no absolute requirement for 'help' in the activation of memory virus-immune Tc cells. However, under the conditions described here the in vitro immunogenic peptide NPP derived from influenza nucleoprotein is not sufficient to elicit a response in vivo.