Cytotoxic CD4+ T cells specific for Francisella tularensis

Francisella tularensis

Cytotoxic CD4 T Cells in Antiviral Immunity

CD4 T cells that acquire cytotoxic phenotype and function have been repeatedly identified in humans, mice, and other species in response to many diverse pathogens. Since CD4 cytotoxic T cells are able to recognize antigenic determinants unique from those recognized by the parallel CD8 cytotoxic T cells, they can potentially contribute additional immune surveillance and direct effector function ...

Antigen-Specific CD4 T Cells

Identifying Francisella tularensis genes required for growth in host cells.

Francisella tularensis is a highly virulent Gram-negative intracellular pathogen capable of infecting a vast diversity of hosts, ranging from amoebae to humans. A hallmark of F. tularensis virulence is its ability to quickly grow to high densities within a diverse set of host cells, including, but not limited to, macrophages and epithelial cells. We developed a luminescence reporter system to f...

Francisella tularensis: an Overview

F rancisella tularensis was first isolated in 1912 from rodents suffering from a plague-like disease in Tulare County, Calif. Subsequently, investigators learned that this small, gram-negative bacterium infects many animal species and is associated with a wide range of diseases. In humans, the bacterium causes a serious, sometimes fatal disease, called tularemia, which is also known as rabbit f...