Characterisation of the primary local and systemic immune response in gnotobiotic lambs against rotavirus infection.
This study characterised the primary immune response in gnotobiotic lambs after infection with a lamb rotavirus (RV). Lambs were infected and killed over a 7 week period together with controls. RV-ELISA and neutralising antibodies were determined in serum, nasal secretions, and intestinal scrapings. RV-antibody secreting cells (ASC) were enumerated in blood. Lymphocyte proliferations were determined in blood and gut-associated lymphoid tissues and cytokine expression was analysed in jejunal Peyer's patches (JPPs) and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs). Infected lambs cleared the virus by 8-9 days after infection without showing any clinical signs. The first indication of a specific immune response to RV was an increased expression of IL-4 mRNA in the JPPs in the infected group compared to the control group 3 days after infection. Rotavirus-specific IgA ASC in blood and IgA antibodies in serum and nasal secretions were detected from 7 days after infection followed at 10 days after infection by RV-specific IgG ASC and antibodies. Rotavirus-specific IgA antibodies were not detected in intestinal scrapings in the first 10 days after infection, but were detected by 52 days after infection. No RV-specific neutralising antibodies were seen in the intestine during the course of the experiment.
Moredun Research Institute, International Research Center, Pentland Science Park, Bushloan, Penicuik Midlothian, UK. lpi@ssi.dk
L A
LA
van Pinxteren
M G
MG
Bruce
I
I
Campbell
C J
CJ
Clarke
D R
DR
Snodgrass
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000097:blood; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012756:Sheep / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology
D007136:Immunoglobulins