title: Sex-related differences in the pattern of coxsackievirus B-3-induced immune spleen cell cytotoxicity against virus-infected myofibers.
abstract: Spleen cells from adult BALB/c mice injected intraperitoneally with purified coxsackievirus B-3 were tested for cytotoxicity against 51Cr-labeled syngeneic infected and uninfected myofibers. Both male and female immune cells were active against uninfected targets; this reactivity was evident by day 3 of infection and persisted throughout the first week. However, we observed marked sex-related differences in immune cell cytotoxicities against infected myofibers. Males exhibited a strong T-lymphocyte response 4 to 7 days after infection. In contrast, females exhibited a weak response, and only infrequently were the immune spleen cells of females significantly more reactive against infected myofibers than against uninfected myofibers. The demonstration of a stronger effector cell response against infected myocardial cells in male mice correlates with the observation that clinical adult coxsackievirus B myocarditis and pericarditis occur predominantly in males.
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D000818:Animals; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000494:pharmacology; D003165:Complement System Proteins; D003384:Coxsackievirus Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D029822:Enterovirus B, Human / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009132:Muscles / Q000166:cytology; D012737:Sex Factors; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology*; D014357:Trypsin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D003165:Complement System Proteins; D014357:Trypsin