Inability to evoke a long-lasting protective immune response to respiratory syncytial virus infection in mice correlates with ineffective nasal antibody responses.
Long-lasting protective antibody is not normally generated in children following primary respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection, frequently leading to reinfection. We used the BALB/c mouse model to examine the role of the nasal-associated lymphoid tissue and the bone marrow in the generation of RSV-specific long-lasting plasma cells, with a view to further understanding the mechanisms responsible for the poorly sustained RSV antibody levels following primary infection. We show here that substantial numbers of RSV-specific plasma cells were generated in the bone marrow following challenge, which were maintained thereafter. In contrast, in the nasal-associated lymphoid tissue, RSV-specific plasma cell numbers waned quickly both after primary infection and after challenge and were not maintained at a higher level after boosting. These data indicate that the inability to generate a robust local mucosal response in the nasal tissues may contribute substantially to the likelihood of subsequent reinfection and that the presence of serum anti-RSV antibody without local protection is not enough to protect against reinfection.
Singleton
Richard
R
Edward Jenner Institute for Vaccine Research, Compton, Newbury, Berkshire RG20 7NN, United Kingdom.
Etchart
Nathalie
N
Hou
Sam
S
Hyland
Lisa
L
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D008168:Lung / Q000821:virology; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009666:Nose / Q000276:immunology*; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D018113:Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G