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Updated: May 21, 2026
Measurement of γHV68 Infection in Mice
Published on: November 22, 2011
Murine gammaherpesvirus 68 glycoprotein 150 does not contribute to latency amplification in vivo
Romana Ruiss1, Shinji Ohno, Beatrix Steer
1Institute of Molecular Immunology, Helmholtz Zentrum München-German Research Center for Environmental Health, Munich, Germany.
Background:
Murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68) is used as a model to study the function of gammaherpesvirus glycoproteins. gp150 of MHV-68, encoded by open reading frame M7, is a positional homolog of gp350/220 of EBV and of gp35/37 of KSHV. Since it had been proposed that gp350/220 of EBV might be a suitable vaccine antigen to protect from EBV-associated diseases, gp150 has been applied as a model vaccine in the MHV-68 system. When analyzing the function of gp150, previous studies yielded conflicting results on the role of gp150 in latency amplification, and disparities between the mutant viruses which had been analyzed were blamed for the observed differences.
Results:
To further develop MHV-68 as model to study the function of gammaherpesvirus glycoproteins in vivo, it is important to know whether gp150 contributes to latency amplification or not. Thus, we re-evaluated this question by testing a number of gp150 mutants side by side. Our results suggest that gp150 is dispensable for latency amplification. Furthermore, we investigated the effect of vaccination with gp150 using gp150-containing exosomes. Vaccination with gp150 induced a strong humoral and cellular immune response, yet it did not affect a subsequent MHV-68 challenge infection.
Conclusions:
In this study, we found no evidence for a role of gp150 in latency amplification. The previously observed contradictory results on the role of gp150 in latency amplification were not related to differences between the mutant viruses which had been used.
Insights
Murine gammaherpesvirus 68 glycoprotein 150 (gp150) does not aid in latency amplification. Vaccination with gp150 elicits immune responses but does not prevent MHV-68 infection.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Immunology
Background:
- Murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68) serves as a model for studying gammaherpesvirus glycoproteins.
- gp150 is a homolog of EBV gp350/220 and KSHV gp35/37, with potential as a vaccine antigen.
Purpose of the Study:
- To clarify the role of gp150 in MHV-68 latency amplification.
- To assess the efficacy of gp150 vaccination against MHV-68 infection.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of multiple gp150 mutant viruses.
- Evaluation of immune responses following vaccination with gp150-containing exosomes.
- Assessment of MHV-68 challenge infection post-vaccination.
Main Results:
- gp150 was found to be dispensable for MHV-68 latency amplification.
- gp150 vaccination induced significant humoral and cellular immunity.
- Vaccination with gp150 did not protect against subsequent MHV-68 challenge infection.
Conclusions:
- gp150 does not play a role in MHV-68 latency amplification.
- Previous conflicting results were not due to differences in mutant viruses.
- gp150 vaccination, while immunogenic, does not confer protection against MHV-68 challenge.
