Role of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in murine resistance to street rabies virus.
Mice of the SJL/J and BALB/cByJ inbred strains are naturally resistant to street rabies virus (SRV) injected via the intraperitoneal route. To determine the cellular mechanism of resistance, monoclonal antibodies specific for CD4+ or CD8+ subsets of T cells were used to deplete the respective cell population in SRV-infected animals. Elimination of CD4+ T-helper cells abrogated the production of immunoglobulin G (IgG) neutralizing antibodies in response to rabies virus infection and reversed the resistant status of SJL/J and BALB/cByJ mice. In contrast, in vivo depletion of CD8+ cytotoxic T cells had no measurable effect on host resistance to SRV. These results indicate that serum neutralizing antibodies of the IgG class are a primary immunological mechanism of defense against rabies virus infection in this murine model of disease. CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes, which have been shown to transfer protection in other rabies virus systems, appear to have no role in protecting mice against intraperitoneally injected SRV.
Perry
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Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Hamilton, Montana 59840.
Lodmell
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D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D005260:Female; D006085:Graft Survival; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains / Q000276:immunology*; D011818:Rabies / Q000276:immunology*; D011820:Rabies virus / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M