Apoptosis and T-cell depletion during feline infectious peritonitis.
Cats that have succumbed to feline infectious peritonitis, an immune-mediated disease caused by variants of feline coronaviruses, show apoptosis and T-cell depletion in their lymphoid organs. The ascitic fluid that develops in the course of the condition causes apoptosis in vitro but only in activated T cells. Since feline infectious peritonitis virus does not infect T cells, and viral proteins did not inhibit T-cell proliferation, we postulate that soluble mediators released during the infection cause apoptosis and T-cell depletion.
Haagmans
B L
BL
Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Veterinary Faculty, Utrecht University, The Netherlands. B.Haagmans@vetmic.dgk.ruu.nl
Egberink
H F
HF
Horzinek
M C
MC
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000276:immunology; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000032:analysis; D002415:Cats; D002455:Cell Division; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016765:Coronavirus, Feline / Q000276:immunology*; D016766:Feline Infectious Peritonitis / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D008212:Lymphocyte Depletion; D008643:Mesentery / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology
D017252:CD3 Complex