title: Chemokine receptor CCR7 contributes to a rapid and efficient clearance of lytic murine gamma-herpes virus 68 from the lung, whereas bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue harbors virus during latency.
abstract: Murine gamma-herpes virus 68 is a natural rodent pathogen closely related to the human gamma-herpes viruses Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpes virus and EBV. By intranasally infecting wild-type and CCR7-deficient mice, we investigated whether CCR7 is necessary for viral clearance from the lung and the establishment of latency. We found during the lytic phase of infection that inflammation in lungs of CCR7(-/-) mice was more severe and viral load significantly higher compared with wild-type littermates. In addition, activation of T cells was delayed and clearance of the inflammation was retarded in mutant lungs, demonstrating that CCR7 is necessary for a rapid and efficient immune response. However, for the establishment of splenomegaly and latency, the presence of CCR7 was dispensable. Finally, by microdissecting BALT, we could demonstrate that these ectopic lymphoid structures are a place in the lung where virus resides during latency.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Jessica R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kocks
authors.forename: Heiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Adler
authors.forename: Heike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Danzer
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.forename: Danny
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jonigk
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Lehmann
authors.forename: Reinhold
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Förster
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001980:Bronchi / Q000821:virology*; D007249:Inflammation; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D054400:Receptors, CCR7 / Q000276:immunology*; D018144:Rhadinovirus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D019562:Viral Load; D017735:Virus Latency
chemical_list: D054400:Receptors, CCR7