H-2D b/ Mice Are Susceptible to Persistent Infection by Theiler's Virus

Arièle Azoulay-Cayla (1) , Sven Dethlefs (1) , Béatrice Pérarnau (2) , Eva-Lotta Larsson-Sciard (1) , François A Lemonnier (2) , Michel Brahic (1) , Jean-François Bureau (1)

1 Virus Lents
2 Immunité Cellulaire Antivirale

H-2 b mice are resistant to persistent infection of the central nervous system by Theiler's virus. They clear the infection 7 to 10 days after intracranial inoculation. Resistance maps to the H-2D gene and not to the H-2K gene and is associated with a potent antiviral cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) response. We used H-2 b mice in which the H-2D or the H-2K gene had been inactivated to dissect the respective roles of these genes in resistance. We report that H-2D / but not H-2K / mice were susceptible to persistent infection. Furthermore , whereas H-2K / mice mounted a vigorous virus-specific CTL response, similar to that of control C57BL/6 mice, the CTL response of H-2D / mice was nil or minimal. Using target cells transfected with the H-2D b or the H-2K b gene, we showed that the H-2K-restricted CTL response against the virus was minimal in H-2D / mice. These results demonstrate that the H-2D b and H-2K b genes play nonredundant roles in the resistance to this persistent infection.

Domains: Animal genetics; Virology

Arièle Azoulay-Cayla, Sven Dethlefs, Béatrice Pérarnau, Eva-Lotta Larsson-Sciard, François A Lemonnier, et al.. H-2D b/ Mice Are Susceptible to Persistent Infection by Theiler's Virus. Journal of Virology, 2000, 74 (12), pp.5470 - 5476. ⟨10.1128/JVI.74.12.5470-5476.2000⟩. ⟨pasteur-02097150⟩