title: Multiplication of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus in thymocytes during its persistence in mice.
abstract: Persistence of lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM) virus in mice infected in utero or neonatally is due to impairment of the specific subsets of thymus-dependent lymphocytes which, in the adult normal mouse, are involved in elimination of LCM virus. Virus-thymocyte interactions were studied since it was likely that this impairment takes place in the thymus. Using an infectious centre assay, we found that about 1% of the thymocytes from foetal and neonatal mice were productively infected by the virus while thymocytes from older mice were refractory to infection. The infected cells were Thy 1-positive and agglutinated by peanut lectin together with immature lymphocytes. Later, when virus persistence was established, the number of infected thymocytes declined to about 0.1% and these cells were not agglutinated by lectin. The results are compatible with the assumption that thymic precursor T-cells capable of elimination LCM virus are chronically infected by the virus and rendered non-functional.
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D008216:Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis / Q000382:microbiology*; D008217:Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus / Q000254:growth & development*; D051379:Mice; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000382:microbiology*; D013997:Time Factors