Induction of abnormal immunoglobulin maturation and antibody production by persistent embryonic mumps virus infection.
Intramuscular inoculation of 19-day old chickens with heterologous erythrocytes elicited significantly lower levels of agglutinins in embryonically infected birds when compared with control birds (reciprocal ha titer 10 vs. 100, respectively, P less than 0.01). The IgG component of this antibody was substantially less in experimental chickens, 25% vs. 70% in controls. Subsequent anamnestic antibody response in experimental birds was also significantly less than control chickens (reciprocal ha titers 25 vs. 512, respectively, P less than 0.02), with continued predominance of IgM antibody in experimental chickens (70% IgM-ha) vs. controls (60% IgG-ha). Induction of cell-mediated immunity by footpad inoculation of 46-day-old birds with diphtheria-tetanus toxoid in complete Freund's adjuvant failed to discern suppression of T cell function in previously infected chicks. Before hatch, the bursae of experimental and control embryos possessed a few IgM-producing lymphoid cells in equivalent numbers. There was also no difference in the relative population of IgM-producing cells in the medullary area of bursal follicles of 7-day-old hatchling chickens, approximately 70%. However, the mean density of IgG-producing cells in the bursae of experimental chickens was less than that of control chickens, 10% vs. 19%, respectively. Consistent with persistent embryonic viral infection and altered bursal function, only IgM-producing cells were detected in the spleens of 7-day-old experimental birds. These observations suggest that persistent embryonic viral infection disturbs the function of bursal-dependent immunopoiesis in the avian host.
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000917:Antibody Formation; D002642:Chick Embryo; D002645:Chickens; D004168:Diphtheria Toxoid / Q000494:pharmacology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D009107:Mumps / Q000151:congenital* / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004168:Diphtheria Toxoid; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M