title: Polyclonal activation of B-lymphocytes and induction of autoimmunity in retrovirus infected NMRI mice.
abstract: Polyclonal activation of B-lymphocytes accompanies many retroviral infections. Friend derived murine immunosuppressive virus (Fd-MIV) is a non-defective murine retrovirus which was isolated from T-helper cells from mice infected with the acute transforming retrovirus Friend leukaemia complex (FLC). In contrast to FLC, Fd-MIV does not induce acute transformation of lymphoid and erythroid cells but causes immunosuppression and lymphadenopathy in adult NMRI mice. The effect of Fd-MIV infection on B-lymphocytes was studied. Fd-MIV infection led to a persistent hypergammaglobulinemy with a significant increase in the level of circulating IgG, IgM and immune complexes. In the spleen and lymph nodes, B-lymphocyte proliferation was found. Parallel to the development of hypergammaglobulinemy, autoantibodies to a variety of nuclear and other autoantigens was detected. In conclusion, the Fd-MIV infection leads to a B-lymphocyte dysfunction that has many parallels with AIDS. Furthermore, the Fd-MIV infection seems to represent an example of an autoimmune condition caused by an exogenous infectious agent.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cancer Research, University of Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Faxvaag
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Moen
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Dalen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000096:biosynthesis; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015551:Autoimmunity; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005622:Friend murine leukemia virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006942:Hypergammaglobulinemia / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008814:Mice, Inbred NZB; D012192:Retroviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D001323:Autoantibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M