The Effects of Acute Neutrophil Depletion on Resolution of Acute Influenza Infection, Establishment of Tissue Resident Memory (T(RM)), and Heterosubtypic Immunity

After disease resolution, a small subset of influenza specific CD8(+) T cells can remain in the airways of the lung as a tissue resident memory population (T(RM)). These cells are critical for protection from subsequent infections with heterosubtypic influenza viruses. Although it is well established that expression of the collagen IV binding integrin alpha 1 is necessary for the retention and maintenance of T(RM) cells, other requirements allowing them to localize to the airways and persist are less well understood. We recently demonstrated that inhibition of neutrophils or neutrophil derived chemokine CXCL12 during acute influenza virus infection reduces the effector T cell response and affects the ability of these cells to localize to the airways. We therefore sought to determine whether the defects that occur in the absence of neutrophils would persist throughout resolution of the disease and impact the development of the T(RM) population. Interestingly, the early alterations in the CD8(+) T cell response recover by two weeks post-infection, and mice form a protective population of T(RM) cells. Overall, these observations show that acute neutrophil depletion results in a delay in the effector CD8(+) T cell response, but does not adversely impact the development of T(RM).