A role for inflammatory cytokines in the productive activation of antigen-specific CD4+ T-cells.

The mechanisms of action of immunological adjuvants were studied using a system in which the behavior of adoptively transferred CD4+ T-cell receptor transgenic T-cells could be directly monitored following antigen administration. These studies revealed that adjuvant-induced inflammatory cytokines promote immunity by enhancing the clonal expansion, persistence and differentiation of antigen-activated CD4+ T-cells.