Role of CXCR3 in the immune response to murine gammaherpesvirus 68.
The chemokine IP-10 (CXCL10) and its cellular receptor CXCR3 are upregulated in the lung during murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68) infection. In order to determine the role of the CXCR3 chemokine receptor in the immune response to MHV-68, CXCR3-/- mice were infected with the virus. CXCR3-/- mice showed delayed clearance of replicating MHV-68 from the lungs. This correlated with delayed T-cell recruitment to the lungs and reduced cytolytic activity prior to viral clearance. Splenomegaly and the numbers of latently infected cells per spleen were transiently increased. However, CXCR3-/- mice showed normal virus-specific antibody titers and effective long-term control of MHV-68 infection.
College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonnam National University, Gwanju, South Korea.
Bong Joo
BJ
Lee
Francesca
F
Giannoni
Ashley
A
Lyon
Shinichiro
S
Yada
Bao
B
Lu
Craig
C
Gerard
Sally R
SR
Sarawar
D000818:Animals; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D054367:Receptors, CXCR3; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine / Q000502:physiology*; D018144:Rhadinovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology
C515188:Cxcr3 protein, mouse; D054367:Receptors, CXCR3; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine