Pseudorabies virus (PRV)-specific antibodies suppress intracellular viral protein levels in PRV-infected monocytes.
Blood monocytes infected with pseudorabies virus (PRV), a swine alphaherpesvirus, are not eliminated efficiently by antibody-dependent immunity and may occasionally transport PRV to the pregnant uterus of vaccinated animals. This study examines in vitro the long-term fate of PRV-infected monocytes cultivated in the presence of porcine PRV-specific antibodies. All monocytes were infected and expressed viral late proteins, and 30 % of PRV-infected monocytes cultivated with PRV-specific antibodies survived up to 194 h post-infection (p.i.), the end of the experiment (compared to 0 % for cells cultivated with PRV-negative antibodies). Of these surviving cells, +/-75 % no longer expressed microscopically detectable viral late proteins from 144 h p.i. onwards. Remarkably, monocytes infected with a PRV gB-null virus did not survive in the presence of PRV-specific antibodies. These data suggest that PRV-specific antibodies suppress viral protein levels in infected monocytes, perhaps helping the virus to persist and reach internal organs in vaccinated animals.
Favoreel
Herman W
HW
Laboratory of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, Merelbeke 9820, Belgium.
Van de Walle
Gerlinde R
GR
Laboratory of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, Merelbeke 9820, Belgium.
Nauwynck
Hans J
HJ
Laboratory of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, Merelbeke 9820, Belgium.
Mettenleiter
Thomas C
TC
Federal Research Centre for Virus Diseases of Animals, Insel Riems, Germany.
Pensaert
Maurice B
MB
Laboratory of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, Merelbeke 9820, Belgium.
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D002470:Cell Survival; D011558:Herpesvirus 1, Suid / Q000276:immunology*; D009000:Monocytes / Q000821:virology*; D013552:Swine; D014611:Vaccination; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000032:analysis*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins