Intestinal cellular immunity after primary rotavirus infection.
Infection of neonatal gnotobiotic lambs with a bovine strain of rotavirus was used to characterize the kinetics of the primary cellular intestinal immune response to this agent. At 2-3 days after infection virus was first detected in the faeces and increased numbers of CD45R+ cells were observed in peripheral blood. These cells persisted in significantly increased numbers in the circulation until 7-8 days after infection. At this time, virus was no longer detectable in the faeces. The increase in CD45R+ cells preceded the appearance of virus-neutralizing antibodies in the serum at 1 week after infection. Maximal antibody titres were reached 2 weeks after infection. Virus-primed cells were first observed 1 week after infection in the jejunal and ileal Peyer's patches, mesenteric lymph nodes and peripheral blood, and persisted in the mesenteric lymph nodes and jejunal Peyer's patches for a further 4 weeks. Analysis of lymphocyte surface antigens indicated that different sub-populations of lymphocytes were responding in the various lymphoid tissues; a majority of CD4+ cells was observed in the mesenteric lymph nodes, whereas B cells predominated in the ileal Peyer's patches.
Moredun Research Institute, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
M G
MG
Bruce
I C
IC
Campbell
L
L
van Pinxteren
D R
DR
Snodgrass
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005856:Germ-Free Life; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000032:analysis; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal; D007422:Intestines / Q000276:immunology*; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D012756:Sheep; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology
D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens