Direct role of viral hemagglutinin in B-cell mitogenesis by influenza viruses.
The mitogenic activity of influenza virus is a function of the hemagglutinin (HA) molecule. Purified HA is mitogenic for murine B lymphocytes but not T lymphocytes. Furthermore, like the intact virus, HA of the H2 (but not H3) subtype is mitogenic only for B cells expressing the class II major histocompatibility complex glycoprotein I-E. Since virus bearing uncleaved HA is as mitogenic as virus bearing cleaved HA, the membrane fusion activity of the HA molecule is not involved.
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D006389:Hemagglutinins, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D013045:Species Specificity; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology
D006389:Hemagglutinins, Viral