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.
Finke
D
D
Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Lausanne Branch, University of Lausanne, 1066 Epalinges, Switzerland.
Mortezavi
L
L
Acha-Orbea
H
H
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