Mucosal and systemic immunity to intestinal reovirus infection in aged mice.

Systemic immunity is progressively impaired in aging, predisposing to morbidity and mortality from neoplasia and infectious disease. However, the effect of aging on mucosal immunity is controversial. To assess intestinal immunity in aging, young and aged mice were orally exposed to reovirus or cholera toxin (CT) and specific antibody and reovirus-specific cytotoxic T-cell (CTL) responses were assessed.

Influence of the route of infection on development of T-cell receptor beta-chain repertoires of reovirus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes.

It is well established that the route of infection affects the nature of the adaptive immune response. However, little is known about the effects of the route of exposure on development of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses. Alternative antigen-presenting cell populations, tissue-restricted expression of class I major histocompatibility complex-encoded molecules, and unique T-cell receptor (TCR)-bearing cells in mucosal tissues could influence the selection and expansion of responder T cells.