Immunogenic determinants of a neuropathogenic murine leukemia virus.
Previous studies of Cas-Br-M murine leukemia virus (MuLV) (Cas-MuLV) infection demonstrated that cytotoxic T cells (CTL) of the CD8+ phenotype play a role in resistance to the neuropathogenic effects of the virus in NFS/N mice. In the current study, we sought to identify the Cas-MuLV epitopes that are immunogenic for the CTL response. Infection of adult NFS/N mice with a well-characterized neuropathogenic variant of Friend MuLV, PVC-211 MuLV (PVC-MuLV), was not immunogenic for MuLV-specific CTL. Therefore, we constructed chimeric viruses between Cas-MuLV and PVC-MuLV. Infectious chimeras contained the Cas-MuLV env gene on a PVC-MuLV background (PVC-CasenvMuLV) and the PVC-MuLV env gene on a Cas-MuLV background (Cas-PVCenvMuLV). Cas-MuLV-specific CTL were found following inoculation of both the chimeric viruses and the parental Cas-MuLV but not the parental PVC-MuLV, despite evidence of antibody responses to both parental and chimeric MuLV. CTL generated in response to infection with PVC-CasenvMuLV and Cas-PVCenvMuLV were exclusively of the CD8+ phenotype. These results indicate that both the env and gag-pol regions of Cas-MuLV express epitopes that are immunogenic for CTL.
D016475:3T3 Cells; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002678:Chimera; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D000939:Epitopes / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005622:Friend murine leukemia virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D015752:Genes, env; D015750:Genes, gag; D015751:Genes, pol; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D009052:Leukemia Virus, Murine / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009420:Nervous System / Q000821:virology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D000939:Epitopes