The importance of lytic and nonlytic immune responses in viral infections.
Antiviral immune effector mechanisms can be divided broadly into lytic and nonlytic components. We use mathematical models to investigate the fundamental question of which type of response is required to combat different types of viral infection. According to our model, the relative roles of the two types of component depend on the cytopathicity of the virus relative to its rate of replication. If the viral cytopathicity is low relative to the rate of viral replication, the model predicts that a combination of lytic and nonlytic effector mechanisms is likely to be required to resolve the disease, particularly if the virus replicates at a fast rate. By contrast, if viral cytopathicity is high relative to the replication rate of the virus, then lytic and nonlytic mechanisms can, in principle, resolve the infection independently. We discuss our findings in the context of specific viral infections and use our model to interpret empirical data.
Wodarz
Dominik
D
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Avenue North, MP-665, WA 98109-1024, Seattle, USA. wodarz@ias.edu
Christensen
Jan Pravsgaard
JP
Thomsen
Allan Randrup
AR
D000818:Animals; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D005805:Genes, MHC Class I; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II; D006801:Humans; D008217:Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D018448:Models, Immunological; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D014721:Vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D014779:Virus Replication