Polyclonal B lymphocyte activation induced by mouse hepatitis virus A59 infection

• Published in: Journal of general virology 1996-05, Vol.77 (5), p.1005-1009
• Main Authors: Lardans, Vinca, Godfraind, Catherine, van der Logt, Jos T. M, Heessen, Frans W. A, Gonzalez, Maria-Dolores, Coutelier, Jean-Paul
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; B-Lymphocytes - immunology; Female; Hepatitis, Viral, Animal - immunology; Immunoglobulin G - biosynthesis; Lymphocyte Activation; Mice; Mice, Inbred CBA; Murine hepatitis virus - immunology; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer - physiology
• ISSN: 0022-1317; 1465-2099
• DOI: 10.1099/0022-1317-77-5-1005

1 Unit of Experimental Medicine, International Institute for Cellular and Molecular Pathology, 2 Laboratory of Pathology, St-Luc Hospital, Catholic University of Louvain, 1200 Bruxelles, Belgium and 3 Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Nijmegen, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands Mouse hepatitis viruses (MHV) diversely affect immune responses, depending on the viral strain and the mouse genetic background. Here, we studied the effect of MHV-A59 infection on B cell responses of 129/Sv and CBA mice. Our results indicate that in these strains, MHV-A59 induces spleen cell activation that leads to enlargement of the spleen without structural alteration. Infection triggers production by B lymphocytes of large amounts of immunoglobulin G2a, mostly without viral specificity. This polyclonal immunoglobulin production is dependent on the presence of functional T helper cells. This polyclonal B lymphocyte activation induced by MHV-A59 infection can have pathological implications, such as the enhancement of concomitant autoimmune reactions. * Author for correspondence. Fax [phone]. e-mail [e-mail] Present address: Centre d'Immunologie et de Biologie Parasitaire, Institut Pasteur de Lille, INSERM U. 167, 59000 Lille, France. Received 30 November 1995; accepted 15 December 1995.