title: Contrasting phenotypes of liver-infiltrating leucocytes isolated from MCMV-infected BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice.
abstract: We characterized liver-infiltrating leucocytes (LIL) from BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice 0-56 days after murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infection. Inflammation clears from C57BL/6 mice 4-5 weeks post infection (pi), but persists for several months in BALB/c mice. The LIL obtained were 60-80% Thy 1.2+ by flow cytometry. The percentage of CD8+ cells rose sharply in all mice 7 days pi, with little decrease in BALB/c mice by day 56. CD4-CD8-Thy 1.2+/TCR alpha beta + cells were more prevalent in LIL than lymph node cells (LNC) irrespective of MCMV infection, whilst infection increased the proportion of CD8+ L-selectin- LIL (but not LNC). LIL from both mouse strains demonstrated cytotoxic activity against YAC-1 cells, but only LIL from BALB/c mice proliferated spontaneously ex vivo 21 days pi, as measured by tritiated thymidine incorporation. BALB/c LIL produced IFN gamma and IgG2a 7-21 days pi, whilst IL-10 secretion was similar in both strains. Thus, persistent hepatitis in BALB/c mice is associated with activation and proliferation of intrahepatic leucocytes with some bias towards a Th1 response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Australia.
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Olver
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Price
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D006524:Hepatitis, Viral, Animal / Q000276:immunology*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018146:Muromegalovirus / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D016207:Cytokines