Identification and Characterization of Antigen-Specific T-Cells in Viral Infections

Methods Mol Biol. 2024:2813:295-308. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3890-3_19.

Abstract

Identification and characterization of CD8+ T-cells is important to determine their role in protecting and clearing viral infections. Here we provide details of the peptide-MHC (pMHC) tetramers-based approach to identify antigen-specific T-cells in human and murine samples. This method provides ex vivo quantification and functional characterization of T-cells reactive to specific viral antigens derived from CMV and rotavirus in human blood and in murine intestinal lamina propria samples, respectively.

Keywords: CD8+ T-cells; Cytokine secretion assay; Flow cytometry; Rotavirus; SARS-CoV-2; T-cell epitopes; T-cell staining; Tetramers.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, Viral* / immunology
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes* / immunology
  • Cytomegalovirus / immunology
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / immunology
  • Humans
  • Intestinal Mucosa / immunology
  • Intestinal Mucosa / virology
  • Mice
  • Rotavirus* / immunology
  • Virus Diseases / immunology
  • Virus Diseases / virology

Substances

  • Antigens, Viral
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte