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Early response to rotavirus infection involves massive B cell activation.
Sarah E Blutt1, Kelly L Warfield, Dorothy E Lewis
1Department of Molecular Virology, Baylor College of Medicine, and Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Journal of Immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950)
|May 23, 2002
Summary
Rotavirus infection triggers a significant increase in activated B cells, not T cells, in the gut. This suggests a T cell-independent B cell response is key for early rotavirus clearance in mice.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Virology
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Rotavirus is a major cause of severe diarrhea in infants and children.
- Understanding the immune response to rotavirus is crucial for developing effective treatments and vaccines.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the in vivo immune response to rotavirus infection using a mouse model.
- To elucidate the role of B and T lymphocytes in the initial clearance of rotavirus.
Main Methods:
- Mice were infected with a homologous strain of murine rotavirus.
- Peyer's patches and mesenteric lymph nodes were analyzed for size, cellularity, and lymphocyte activation.
- Flow cytometry was used to quantify activated B and T lymphocytes.
- Rotavirus-specific antibody production (IgM, IgA) was assessed.
Main Results:
- Rotavirus infection led to significant increases in Peyer's patches and mesenteric lymph nodes size and cellularity.
- Flow cytometry revealed a marked increase in activated B cells, but not T cells, in these tissues.
- Rotavirus-specific IgM, but not IgA, was detected in tissue cultures.
- Similar results were observed in T cell receptor (TCR) knockout mice, indicating a T cell-independent response.
Conclusions:
- Rotavirus infection induces a substantial increase in activated B cells, independent of T cell activation.
- The findings implicate a T cell-independent B cell response as the primary mechanism for initial rotavirus clearance.