Mature B cells are required for acute splenic infection, but not for establishment of latency, by murine gammaherpesvirus 68

Karen E. Weck, Melissa L. Barkon, Lina I. Yoo, Samuel H. Speck, Herbert W. Virgin IV

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

246 Scopus citations

Abstract

Murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (γHV-68; also referred to as MHV-68) is a gammaherpesvirus which infects murid rodents. Previous studies showed that CD8 T cells are important for controlling γHV-68 replication during the first 2 weeks of infection and suggested a role for B cells in latent or persistent γHV-68 infection. To further define the importance of B cells and CD8 T cells during acute and chronic γHV-68 infection, we examined splenic infection in mice with null mutations in the transmembrane domain of the μ- heavy-chain constant region (MuMT; B-cell and antibody deficient) or in the β2-microglobulin gene (β2(-/-); CD8 deficient). Immunocompetent mice infected intraperitoneally with γHV-68 demonstrated peak splenic titers 9 to 10 days postinfection, cleared infectious virus 15 to 20 days postinfection, and harbored low levels of latent virus at 6 weeks postinfection. β2(-/-) mice showed peak splenic γHV-68 titers similar to those of normal mice but were unable to clear infectious virus completely from the spleen, demonstrating persistent infectious virus 6 weeks postinfection. These data indicate that CD8 T cells are important for clearing infectious γHV-68 from the spleen. Infected MuMT mice did not demonstrate detectable infectious γHV-68 in the spleen at any time after infection, indicating that mature B lymphocytes are necessary for acute splenic infection by γHV-68. Despite the lack of measurable acute infection, MuMT spleen cells harbored latent virus 6 weeks postinfection at a level about 100-fold higher than that in normal mice. These data demonstrate establishment of latency by a herpesvirus in an organ in the absence of acute viral replication in that organ. In addition, they demonstrate that γHV-68 can establish latency in a cell type other than mature B lymphocytes.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)6775-6780
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of virology
Volume70
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 1996

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