title: T cell depletion increases susceptibility to murine cytomegalovirus retinitis.
abstract: To study the effect of immunosuppression on the development of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) retinitis, BALB/c mice were immunosuppressed with methylprednisolone (a corticosteroid) and/or with antibodies against CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and inoculated with low-dose MCMV (5 x 10(2) plaque-forming units) by the supraciliary route. Nonimmunosuppressed mice inoculated with low-dose MCMV by the supraciliary route did not develop necrotizing retinitis. By contrast, 78-100% of immunosuppressed mice developed retinitis after inoculation of low-dose MCMV. To study the effect of depletion of individual T cell subsets, mice were depleted of either CD4+ or CD8+ T cells and inoculated with low-dose MCMV by the supraciliary route. The frequency of retinitis in CD4-depleted mice (30%) was not significantly different from that of nonimmunosuppressed control mice (0%). The frequency of retinitis in the CD8-depleted group (80%) was similar to that observed in mice immunosuppressed with corticosteroid alone (90.9%), with antibodies to both T cell subsets (100%), or with steroid and both T cell subset antibodies (100%). These results support the conclusion that the CD8+ T cell subset is responsible for control of ocular MCMV infection. Furthermore, these results suggest that the CD8+ T cell subset may be important in preventing ocular CMV infection in immunosuppressed patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine, Florida.
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Atherton
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Newell
authors.forename: M Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Kanter
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Cousins
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D002924:Ciliary Body; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D007267:Injections; D008212:Lymphocyte Depletion; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D012173:Retinitis / Q000382:microbiology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens