title: Human herpesvirus 7 infection of CD4+(+) T cells does not require expression of the OKT4 epitope.
abstract: To evaluate the role of the OKT4 epitope in human herpesvirus 7 (HHV-7) infection, we studied the susceptibility to HHV-7 infection of CD4+ T cells isolated from two individuals with OKT4 epitope deficiency. HHV-7-infected OKT4-Leu3a+ T cells exhibited the characteristic cytopathic effect, reactivity with HHV-7-seropositive serum by immunofluorescence and down-modulation of surface CD4 in a manner similar to HHV-7-infected OKT4+Leu3a+ T cells. A semiquantitative PCR revealed that the amounts of HHV-7 replicated in OKT4+Leu3a+ T cells and OKT4-Leu3a+ T cells were not significantly different. Although it has been reported that OKT4 monoclonal antibody efficiently inhibits HHV-7 infection, the present study demonstrated that the interaction of HHV-7 with CD4+ T cells does not require participation of the epitope defined by OKT4 monoclonal antibody.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Ehime University School of Medicine, Shigenobu, Japan. yasukawa@m.ehime-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yasukawa
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hatta
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sada
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Onji
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fujita
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D016199:Herpesvirus 7, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D000939:Epitopes; C079851:OKT4A monoclonal antibody