A Hamster Model of Equine Herpesvirus Type 1 (EHV-1) Infection; Passive Protection by Monoclonal Antibodies to EHV-1 Glycoproteins 13, 14 and 17/18

• Published in: Journal of general virology 1989-05, Vol.70 (5), p.1173-1183
• Main Authors: Stokes, Anne, Allen, G. P, Pullen, L. A, Murray, P. Keith
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies, Monoclonal - immunology; Antibody Formation; Antigens, Viral - immunology; Cricetinae; Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; Disease Models, Animal; Epitopes - immunology; Female; Glycoproteins - immunology; Herpesviridae Infections - immunology; Herpesviridae Infections - microbiology; Herpesviridae Infections - prevention & control; Herpesvirus 1, Equid - immunology; Herpesvirus 1, Equid - isolation & purification; Immunity, Cellular; Immunization, Passive - methods; Mesocricetus; Viral Envelope Proteins - immunology
• ISSN: 0022-1317; 1465-2099
• DOI: 10.1099/0022-1317-70-5-1173

1 Department of Immunology, AFRC Institute for Animal Health, Pirbright Laboratory, Guildford, Surrey GU24 0NF, U.K. and 2 Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40546-0076, U.S.A. Following intraperitoneal or intranasal inoculation of the Syrian hamster with equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1), strain Kentucky D, virus replicated in the liver and lungs reaching a peak at 4 days post-infection (p.i.). By day 6 p.i. virus titres in these organs had reduced and the spleen contained virus-specific cytotoxic cells. This cytotoxicity was mediated by T cells since treatment of effector cells with a monoclonal antibody to hamster T lymphocytes inhibited the effect. An antiviral humoral immune response was present by day 4 when antibodies capable of lysing EHV-1-infected target cells in the presence of complement were detected. The transfer of serum from recovered hamsters into naive recipients 24 h before challenge prevented virus infection, whereas serum transferred 24 h after challenge reduced the titre of virus recovered from target organs. Inoculation of hamsters with monoclonal antibodies directed to glycoproteins 13, 14 and 17/18 of a subtype 1 virus (Army 183) before virus challenge protected hamsters. This hamster model will prove useful for studying the immune response to EHV-1 and evaluating the immunogenicity of individual virus components. Keywords: EHV-1, hamster model, glycoproteins Received 17 October 1988; accepted 26 January 1989.