Effects of L3T4+ Lymphocyte Depletion on Acute Murine Cytomegalovirus Infection

• Published in: Journal of general virology 1989-07, Vol.70 (7), p.1765-1771
• Main Authors: Erlich, Kim S, Mills, John, Shanley, John D
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acute Disease; Animals; Antibodies, Monoclonal - administration & dosage; Antibodies, Viral - biosynthesis; Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Cytomegalovirus Infections - immunology; Cytomegalovirus Infections - mortality; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Lymphocyte Depletion; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Microbiology; Phenotype; Replicative cycle, interference, host-virus relations, pathogenicity, miscellaneous strains; T-Lymphocytes - classification; T-Lymphocytes - immunology; Virology
• ISSN: 0022-1317; 1465-2099
• DOI: 10.1099/0022-1317-70-7-1765

1 Department of Medicine 2 Department of Laboratory Medicine and 3 Department of Microbiology, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143 and 4 Department of Medicine, University of Connecticut, Newington, Connecticut 06111, U.S.A. We examined the role of T lymphocytes bearing the L3T4 phenotype in acute murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infection. In vivo administration of rat IgG2b monoclonal antibody (MAb) GK 1.5 was used to deplete mice of L3T4 + lymphocytes during acute MCMV infection. Unlike the saline-treated controls that resolved their infections, mice receiving the MAb developed persistent and high levels of virus in the salivary gland, lung and spleen. The production of antibody to MCMV was delayed and the titres achieved were markedly less than in the controls. Despite the higher levels of virus replication, there was no increase in mortality seen in animals treated with the MAb. Following intraperitoneal challenge with MCMV, depletion of L3T4 + lymphocytes was protective, increasing the dose of MCMV required to produce death. These data indicate that T lymphocytes of the L3T4 phenotype influence the degree of MCMV replication during acute infection and may contribute to mortality following intraperitoneal virus challenge. Keywords: MCMV, monoclonal antibody, lymphocyte depletion Received 8 November 1988; accepted 6 March 1989.