We are glad for the broad interest and readership our recent publication “Ketogenic diet activates protective γδ T cell responses against influenza virus infection” has received. The goal of our study was to understand how the immune system might be involved in mediating the surprising protection against lethal influenza A virus infection we observed when we fed mice a ketogenic diet (KD) for one week. What made our findings particularly intriguing is that robust protective changes were occurring in the lungs, the site of influenza infection and, importantly, not a tissue traditionally considered in manipulations of systemic metabolism, and that these protective changes were γδ T cell-dependent. Amidst this enthusiasm, Bass et al. have raised concern about the control diets used in our experiments, specifically with regards to the protein, fiber, and micronutrient content. We welcome critical feedback and appreciate the opportunity to respond to these criticisms.
CD8 T cell responses to influenza virus infection in aged mice