title: Perturbation of B cell activation in SLAM-associated protein-deficient mice is associated with changes in gammaherpesvirus latency reservoirs.
abstract: Signaling lymphocyte activation molecule (SLAM)-associated protein (SAP)) interactions with SLAM family proteins play important roles in immune function. SAP-deficient mice have defective B cell function, including impairment of germinal center formation, production of class-switched Ig, and development of memory B cells. B cells are the major reservoir of latency for both EBV and the homologous murine gammaherpesvirus, gammaherpesvirus 68. There is a strong association between the B cell life cycle and viral latency in that the virus preferentially establishes latency in activated germinal center B cells, which provides access to memory B cells, a major reservoir of long-term latency. In the current studies, we have analyzed the establishment and maintenance of gammaHV68 latency in wild-type and SAP-deficient mice. The results show that, despite SAP-associated defects in germinal center and memory B cell formation, latency was established and maintained in memory B cells at comparable frequencies to wild-type mice, although the paucity of memory B cells translated into a 10-fold reduction in latent load. Furthermore, there were defects in normal latency reservoirs within the germinal center cells and IgD(+)"naive" B cells in SAP-deficient mice, showing a profound effect of the SAP mutation on latency reservoirs.
authors.affiliation: Trudeau Institute, Saranac Lake, NY 12983, USA.
authors.forename: In-Jeong
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Claire E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Burkum
authors.forename: Tres
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cookenham
authors.forename: Pamela L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Schwartzberg
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Woodland
authors.forename: Marcia A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Blackman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018142:Gammaherpesvirinae / Q000502:physiology*; D018858:Germinal Center; D017578:Immunoglobulin Class Switching; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009154:Mutation; D000071179:Signaling Lymphocytic Activation Molecule Associated Protein; D017735:Virus Latency / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C499569:Sh2d1a protein, mouse; D000071179:Signaling Lymphocytic Activation Molecule Associated Protein