Preactivation of B lymphocytes does not enhance mouse mammary tumor virus infection.
We investigated whether mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) favors preactivated or naive B cells as targets for efficient infection. We have demonstrated previously that MMTV activates B cells upon infection. Here, we show that polyclonal activation of B cells leads instead to lower infection levels and attenuated superantigen-specific T-cell responses in vivo. This indicates that naive small resting B cells are the major targets of MMTV infection and that the activation induced by MMTV is sufficient to allow efficient infection.
Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Lausanne Branch, University of Lausanne, 1066 Epalinges, Switzerland.
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Finke
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Mortezavi
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Acha-Orbea
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008324:Mammary Tumor Virus, Mouse / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C
D004279:DNA, Viral