Cytotoxic T cell responses to intracellular pathogens

Host defense against intracellular pathogens in thought to require cytotoxic T cells. Recent studies have investigated the impact of host cell lysis and cytokine production by cytotoxic T lymphocytes on the fate of intracellular pathogens. The identification of two mechanisms of lysis induced by cytotoxic T lymphocytes — the granule exocytosis pathway and the Fas—FasL interaction — have provided new insight into the role of cytotoxic T lymphocytes in immunity to infection.