Saldanha, Marsha2013-11-072013-11-0720072007Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 47-06, page: 3415.http://hdl.handle.net/10393/27915http://dx.doi.org/10.20381/ruor-18979CD8+ T cells curtail the proliferation of intracellular pathogens. However, the influence of the potency of stimulation on the development of CD8+ T cell memory is not clear. Using recombinant Ovalbumin (OVA) expressing intracellular bacteria, Mycobacterium bovis (BCG) which induces muted T cell activation, and Listeria monocytogenes (LM) which induces massive T cell activation, the influence of T cell stimulation on memory development was discerned. It was hypothesized that muted activation of CD8+ T cells by BCG might result in impaired development of memory. It was found that in contrast to LM naive as well as memory CD8+ T cells undergo delayed and muted expansion and contraction during BCG infection. Memory CD8+ T cells remained functional as they expressed cytokines, killed targets and proliferated in response to antigen. Furthermore, inflammatory cytokines and T cells curtail antigen-presentation during BCG infection which curbs T cell stimulation and favors the development of functional memory.148 p.enBiology, Microbiology.Health Sciences, Immunology.Thesis