| Current vaccination strategies aim at eliciting influenza specific antibodies and generally do not confer protection to next year?s seasonal and/or pandemic influenza. CD8 T-cells specific for evolutionary conserved influenza proteins like nucleoprotein (NP), do mediate such heterosubtypic immunity. It is unknown how many memory T-cells are necessary for protection nor is it clear whether the location, activation state or proliferative capacity of NP specific CD8 T-cells influences their ability to provide heterosubtypic immunity. Therefore the research in this proposal aims at dissecting the characteristics of NP specific memory CD8 T-cells that provide protection against various influenza subtypes. Once the quantity and quality of a protective NP specific T-cells response are known, vaccine formulations can be optimized to induce the appropriate immune response. The secondary aim is then to engineer a vaccine with the potential for human use, using biodegradable nanoparticles containing NP, in combination with the proper adjuvants. |
