title: Apoptosis in peripheral CD4+T cells and thymocytes by Marek's disease virus-infection.
abstract: Histological study revealed that Marek's disease virus (MDV) can cause apoptosis in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) in latently infected chickens. Analysis of DNA fragmentation indicated that CD4+T cells but not CD8+T cells underwent apoptosis. These apoptotic changes were also observed in the thymus during the acute phase of the infection. Flow cytometry analysis showed the drastic decrease of CD4+CD8+ thymocytes, indicating that MDV can induce apoptosis in CD4+CD8+ immature thymocytes in acutely infected chickens. These changes might be involved in the immuno-suppression induced by MDV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Morimura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohashi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kon
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hattori
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sugimoto
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Onuma
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002645:Chickens; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D008381:Herpesvirus 2, Gallid; D008380:Marek Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology