Modulation of the CD4(+) T cell response after acellular pertussis vaccination in the presence of TLR4 ligation.

•The duration of protection by current acellular pertussis vaccines is disappointing.•TLR4 ligand improve acellular pertussis vaccine-induced T cell response in mice.•Adding TLR4 ligand to the vaccine induces pertussis-specific Th1/Th17 cells.•Frequency central memory pertussis-specific T cells are increased by TLR4 ligation.•TLR4-based adjuvant could be a feasible solution to improve the current vaccine.