Protection from CMV infection in immunodeficient hosts by adoptive transfer of memory B cells.
Severe disease associated with cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is still a major problem in patients who undergo transplantation. Support of the patients' immune defense against the virus is a major goal in transplantation medicine. We have used the murine model of CMV (MCMV) to investigate the potential of a cell-based strategy to support the humoral antiviral immune response. Immunocompetent C57BL/6 mice were infected with MCMV, and memory B cells from the immune animals were adoptively transferred into T-cell- and B-cell-deficient RAG-1(-/-) mice. Following MCMV infection, a virus-specific IgG response developed within 4 to 7 days in the recipient animals. Concomitantly, a significant reduction in viral titers and DNA copies in several organs was observed. In addition, the memory B-cell transfer provided long-term protection from the lethal course of the infection that is invariably seen in immunodeficient animals. Transfer of memory B cells was also effective in protecting from an already ongoing viral infection, indicating a therapeutic potential of virus-specific memory B cells. T cells were not involved in this process. Our data provide evidence that a cell-based strategy to support the humoral immune response can be effective to combat infectious pathogens in severely immunodeficient hosts.
Klenovsek
Karin
K
Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, University Hospital Erlangen, Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
Weisel
Florian
F
Schneider
Andrea
A
Appelt
Uwe
U
Jonjic
Stipan
S
Messerle
Martin
M
Bradel-Tretheway
Birgit
B
Winkler
Thomas H
TH
Mach
Michael
M
D019264:Adoptive Transfer / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000637:transplantation*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007156:Immunologic Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000276:immunology