Ocular herpes simplex virus infection is diminished by depletion of B lymphocytes.
Rabbit anti-mouse mu-chain serum was used to deplete specifically IgM-bearing B cells and B cell function in BALB/c mice. B cell-depleted and normal littermates were infected via the cornea with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) at 4 to 5 wk of age. B cell-depleted mice had a reduced number of lymphocytes bearing surface immunoglobulin and a greatly reduced ability to produce antibody. Mortality was reduced from 89% in normal controls to 42% in B cell-depleted mice (p less than 0.001) and peak virus shedding from eyes was also reduced as much as 90% in the B cell-depleted mice (p less than or equal to 0.0005). These results support the hypothesis that a B cell function of normal mice somehow contributes directly or indirectly to the enhanced mortality of mice infected with HSV.
D000818:Animals; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D007148:Immunoglobulin mu-Chains / Q000276:immunology; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000379:methods; D008212:Lymphocyte Depletion; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011817:Rabbits; D013666:Tears / Q000382:microbiology
D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D007148:Immunoglobulin mu-Chains