Denguevirus-specific suppressor T cells: current perspectives

Dengue virus was the first microorganism that was shown to induce generation
of antigen-specific suppressor T (TS) cells in mice. The cascade of the three
generations of TS cells (TS1, TS2, TS3) and their secretary products, the
suppressor factors (SF1, SF2), was delineated. The TS pathway was proposed to
be protective through inhibition of the production of enhancing antibody, which
may enhance the severity of dengue disease. The currently second most favoured
mechanism of severe dengue disease is the ‘cytokine tsunami’. During the last
decade, suppressor/regulatory T cells have been studied in greater detail using
modern techniques in various diseases, including viral infections. This brief review
discusses the role of dengue-specific suppressor T cells in protection and/or
induction of severe dengue disease in view of our current understanding of
suppressor/regulatory T cells.