Virus shedding from the epithelial cells of the serous acini of salivary glands is a major source for the horizontal transmission of cytomegalovirus. These cells are, different to other tissues, exempt from CD8 T lymphocyte control. CD4 T lymphocytes are essential to terminate the productive infection. Here, we prove that T-B cooperation and the production of antibodies are not required for this process. For the infection with murine cytomegalovirus, mutant mice were used which do not produce antibodies because of a disrupted membrane exon of the immunoglobulin mu chain gene. Also, in these mice the virus clearance from salivary glands is a function of CD4 T lymphocytes. However, these mice clear the virus and establish viral latency with a kinetics that is distinguishable from normal mice. Reactivation from virus latency is the only stage at which the absence of antibodies alters the phenotype of infection. In immunoglobulin-deficient mice, virus recurrence results in higher virus titers. The adoptive serum transfer proved that antibody is the limited factor that prevents virus dissemination in the immunodeficient host.
Article|
May 01 1994
Antibodies are not essential for the resolution of primary cytomegalovirus infection but limit dissemination of recurrent virus.
S Jonjić,
S Jonjić
Department of Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Croatia.
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I Pavić,
I Pavić
Department of Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Croatia.
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B Polić,
B Polić
Department of Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Croatia.
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I Crnković,
I Crnković
Department of Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Croatia.
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P Lucin,
P Lucin
Department of Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Croatia.
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U H Koszinowski
U H Koszinowski
Department of Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Croatia.
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S Jonjić
Department of Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Croatia.
I Pavić
Department of Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Croatia.
B Polić
Department of Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Croatia.
I Crnković
Department of Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Croatia.
P Lucin
Department of Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Croatia.
U H Koszinowski
Department of Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Croatia.
Online ISSN: 1540-9538
Print ISSN: 0022-1007
J Exp Med (1994) 179 (5): 1713–1717.
Citation
S Jonjić, I Pavić, B Polić, I Crnković, P Lucin, U H Koszinowski; Antibodies are not essential for the resolution of primary cytomegalovirus infection but limit dissemination of recurrent virus.. J Exp Med 1 May 1994; 179 (5): 1713–1717. doi: https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.179.5.1713
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