title: Flow cytometric analysis of lymphocyte subset kinetics in Bali cattle experimentally infected with Jembrana disease virus.
abstract: Jembrana disease virus (JDV) is an unusual bovine lentivirus that causes an acute and sometimes fatal disease after a short incubation period in Bali cattle (Bos javanicus). The pathological changes occur primarily in lymphoid tissues, which feature proliferating lymphoblastoid-like cells predominantly throughout parafollicular (T-cell) areas, and atrophy of follicles (B-cell) areas. Five Bali cattle were experimentally infected with JDV and all developed typical clinical signs of Jembrana disease characterised by a transient febrile response, enlargement of superficial lymph nodes and a significant leukopenia. Flow cytometric analysis of PBMC during the acute (febrile) disease phase showed that the reduced number of lymphocytes was due to a significant decrease in both the proportion and absolute numbers of CD4(+) T cells, but not CD8(+) T-cells or CD21(+) B-cells. At the end of the febrile phase, total numbers of both CD8(+) T-cells and CD21(+) B-cells increased significantly, while CD4(+) T-cell numbers remained below normal values, resulting in a significantly reduced CD4(+):CD8(+) ratio. We speculate that the persistent depletion of CD4(+) T cells following JDV infection, through lack of CD4(+) T cell help to B cells, may explain the lack of production of JDV-specific antibodies for several weeks after recovery despite an increase in CD21(+) B cell numbers. Further, our previous data showing that IgG(+) plasma cells are targets for JDV infection, correlated with our current data demonstrating an increase in CD8(+) T cell numbers, supports the suggestion that anti-viral cytotoxic T cell or other cell-mediated immune responses may be critical in the recovery process, although this remains to be formally demonstrated for JDV.
authors: School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia.
authors: I W Masa
authors: IW
authors: Tenaya
authors: Kathy
authors: K
authors: Heel
authors: Philip A
authors: PA
authors: Stumbles
authors: Graham E
authors: GE
authors: Wilcox
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio / Q000662:veterinary; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000662:veterinary; D016130:Immunophenotyping / Q000662:veterinary; D007214:Indonesia; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D016180:Lentivirus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D017960:Lentiviruses, Bovine / Q000276:immunology*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D007371:Interferon-gamma