Conserved cysteine residues within the attachment G glycoprotein of respiratory syncytial virus play a critical role in the enhancement of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte responses.

The cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) response plays an important role in the control of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) replication and the establishment of a Th1-CD4+ T cell response against the virus. Despite lacking Major Histocompatibility Complex I (MHC I)-restricted epitopes, the attachment G glycoprotein of RSV enhances CTL activity toward other RSV antigens, and this effect depends on its conserved central region. Here, we report that RSV-G can also improve CTL activity toward antigens from unrelated pathogens such as influenza, and that a mutant form of RSV-G lacking four conserved cysteine residues at positions 173, 176, 182, and 186 fails to enhance CTL responses.

Breastfeeding prevents severe disease in full term female infants with acute respiratory infection.

Background: Breastfeeding is a well-known protective factor against severe respiratory tract infections. Recently, a gender specific role for human milk has been described in very low birth weight infants and neonates: breast milk protected girls but not boys.

Objective: To determine whether the protective effect of breastfeeding on the severity of acute respiratory infections in full term infants is different for girls and boys.

Lack of antibody affinity maturation due to poor Toll-like receptor stimulation leads to enhanced respiratory syncytial virus disease.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of hospitalization in infants. A formalin-inactivated RSV vaccine was used to immunize children and elicited nonprotective, pathogenic antibody. Immunized infants experienced increased morbidity after subsequent RSV exposure.