Evidence that the murine AIDS defective virus does not encode a superantigen.
The T-cell receptor repertoire was analyzed in C57BL/6 mice upon infection with helper-free stocks of the pathogenic murine AIDS (MAIDS) defective virus in order to demonstrate if, as previously reported, this virus encodes a superantigen. A polyclonal T-cell stimulation involving T cells expressing multiple V beta subsets occurred within the first week of infection, while late in the disease we could note only a 50% deletion of V beta 5 CD8+ cells. Transfection of the MAIDS virus genomic DNA into fibroblasts and B cells expressing major histocompatibility complex class II molecules failed to show any stimulation of cells expressing the specific V beta (V beta 5) previously reported to respond to MAIDS virus-infected cells. In addition, mice lacking V beta 5 cells did not show any significant decrease in susceptibility to the disease compared with mice expressing V beta 5 and bred on the same genetic background. Our in vivo and in vitro results fail to demonstrate a role for a superantigen encoded by the MAIDS defective viral genome in the pathogenesis of MAIDS.
Laboratoire d'Immunologie, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Canada.
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Doyon
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Simard
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Sékaly
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Jolicoeur
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D003673:Defective Viruses / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000276:immunology; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology; D006378:Helper Viruses; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D006801:Humans; D009052:Leukemia Virus, Murine / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D016183:Murine Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000276:immunology; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000276:immunology; D018089:Superantigens / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D018089:Superantigens; C061836:antigen T cell receptor, epsilon chain