Antigen-Specific T Cells and Cytokines Detection as Useful Tool for Understanding Immunity against Zoonotic Infections

Figure 1

Schematic network of cells and molecules in response to zoonotic agents. An “oversimplified” scenario constituted by various cells and molecules involved both in binding of epitopes derived from pathogens and in the effector mechanisms hereby represented. APCs bind zoonotic derived epitopes and present them to various types of lymphocytes, in the context of MHC molecules and/or Toll-Like Receptors (TLRs). These subsets, producing different cytokines, could activate effector “protective” mechanisms involving macrophage killing, cytotoxic activity by CTL and/or CD4, and release of various cytokines, thus leading to the damaging of zoonotic pathogens. The killing by CTL, that could be not only CD8 but also NK cells, could be also due to an ADCC phenomenon with the contribution of antizoonotic epitopes,-specific antibodies.