«The observed increase in the
ratio of cytotoxic CD4 T cells to CD4 helper T cells indicates that they are an important component of the protective immune response to viral infections and that their induction should be an important marker for successful vaccinations
against certain viral diseases,» says postdoctoral researcher and first author Veena Patil, Ph.D. «But we really didn't know enough about their molecular profile and the mechanisms that
drive their differentiation and maintenance.»