TY - JOUR

T1 - Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus-induced immunosuppression: evidence for viral interference with T-cell maturation

AU - Thomsen, Allan Randrup

AU - Bro-Jørgensen, K

AU - Jensen, Birgitte Løkke

N1 - Keywords: Animals; Bone Marrow; Cell Count; Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; Hematopoietic Stem Cells; Immune Tolerance; Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis; Mice; Mice, Inbred C3H; T-Lymphocytes; Thymus Gland

PY - 1982

Y1 - 1982

N2 - Acute lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection is associated with general immunosuppression which develops during the second week of the infection and persists for several weeks. In the present study, the ability of LCMV-infected mice to mount a cytotoxic T-lymphocyte response was investigated in a transplantation assay, using LCMV-immunized mice as recipients. By this means it was possible to evaluate the T-cell responsiveness of the acutely infected mice separately. Our results revealed a marked depression of the T-cell function temporally related to immunosuppression in the intact mouse. Furthermore, this hyporesponsiveness could not be explained as an effect of suppressor cells. Occurring shortly before these changes were a drastic decrease in cortical thymocytes and a reduction in T-cell progenitors in the bone marrow and spleen. Our findings are consistent with the assumption that a numerical deficiency of immunocompetent T-cells due to viral interference with T-cell maturation plays an important role in LCMV-induced immunosuppression.

AB - Acute lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection is associated with general immunosuppression which develops during the second week of the infection and persists for several weeks. In the present study, the ability of LCMV-infected mice to mount a cytotoxic T-lymphocyte response was investigated in a transplantation assay, using LCMV-immunized mice as recipients. By this means it was possible to evaluate the T-cell responsiveness of the acutely infected mice separately. Our results revealed a marked depression of the T-cell function temporally related to immunosuppression in the intact mouse. Furthermore, this hyporesponsiveness could not be explained as an effect of suppressor cells. Occurring shortly before these changes were a drastic decrease in cortical thymocytes and a reduction in T-cell progenitors in the bone marrow and spleen. Our findings are consistent with the assumption that a numerical deficiency of immunocompetent T-cells due to viral interference with T-cell maturation plays an important role in LCMV-induced immunosuppression.

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 6982233

VL - 37

SP - 981

EP - 986

JO - Infection and Immunity

JF - Infection and Immunity

SN - 0019-9567

IS - 3

ER -