T-cell-mediated cytotoxic response to mumps virus in humans.

Mumps-specific T-cell-mediated cytotoxic activity against virus-treated autologous lymphocytes was studied after peripheral blood lymphocytes of sensitized subjects had been incubated with ultraviolet light-inactivated virus antigen. Generation of the cytotoxic activity in vitro was associated with an antecedent lymphoproliferative response to mumps virus. The virus specificity of the effector cells was demonstrated by a lack of lysis of type 1 parainfluenza virus (HVJ)-treated as well as of type A influenza virus-treated autologous target cells. This activity was largely associated with E-rosette-forming T lymphocytes as revealed by negative selection of a population from cultured whole lymphocytes. In addition, sequential investigations for subjects with a natural mumps virus infection clearly demonstrated individual characteristics of the cytotoxic response. Therefore, the assay described could be used to reflect mumps virus-specific T-cell-mediated immunity in humans.