Requirement for CD40 ligand, CD4(+) T cells, and B cells in an infectious mononucleosis-like syndrome.
Respiratory challenge with the murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (gammaHV-68) results in productive infection of the lung, the establishment of latency in B lymphocytes and other cell types, transient splenomegaly, and prolonged clonal expansion of activated CD8(+) CD62L(lo) T cells, particularly a Vbeta4(+) CD8(+) population that is found in mice with different major histocompatibility complex (MHC) haplotypes. Aspects of the CD8(+)-T-cell response are substantially modified in mice that lack B cells, CD4(+) T cells, or the CD40 ligand (CD40L). The B-cell-deficient mice show no increase in Vbeta4(+) CD8(+) T cells. Similar abrogation of the Vbeta4(+) CD8(+) response is seen following antibody-mediated depletion of the CD4(+) subset, through the numbers of CD8(+) CD62L(lo) cells are still significantly elevated. Virus-specific CD4(+)-T-cell frequencies are minimal in the CD40L(-/-) mice, and the Vbeta4(+) CD8(+) population remains unexpanded. Apparently B-cell-CD4(+)-T-cell interactions play a part in the gammaHV-68 induction of both splenomegaly and non-MHC-restricted Vbeta4(+) CD8(+)-T-cell expansion.
Brooks
J W
JW
Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, USA.
Hamilton-Easton
A M
AM
Christensen
J P
JP
Cardin
R D
RD
Hardy
C L
CL
Doherty
P C
PC
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D023201:CD40 Ligand; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007244:Infectious Mononucleosis / Q000276:immunology*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000378:metabolism; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D013577:Syndrome
D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D023201:CD40 Ligand