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Updated: Aug 11, 2026
Dissecting Host-virus Interaction in Lytic Replication of a Model Herpesvirus
Published on: October 7, 2011
Murine gammaherpesvirus 68 establishes a latent infection in mouse B lymphocytes in vivo
N P Sunil-Chandra1, S Efstathiou, A A Nash
1Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, U.K.
Insights
Murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68) primarily persists in B cells within infected mice. This finding highlights MHV-68
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68) is known to establish persistent infections in mice.
- Identifying the specific host cell types involved in MHV-68 persistence is crucial for understanding viral latency.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the specific spleen cell type that harbors persistent Murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68) infections in mice.
- To elucidate the cellular tropism of MHV-68 during latent infection.
Main Methods:
- Spleen cells from MHV-68 infected mice were fractionated into B cell-enriched (Ig-positive), T cell-enriched (Ig-negative), and macrophage-enriched (plastic-adherent) populations.
- An infectious centre assay was performed by co-cultivating these fractions with permissive BHK-21 cells to detect infectious virus.
Main Results:
- Infectious centers were consistently recovered and enriched in the immunoglobulin (Ig)-positive fraction, indicating a B cell tropism.
- This demonstrates that B lymphocytes are a major cellular reservoir for persistent MHV-68.
Conclusions:
- B cells are a primary site for Murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68) persistence and latency.
- MHV-68 shares biological characteristics with Epstein-Barr virus and other B cell lymphotropic gammaherpesviruses.
Abstract:
Murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68) is able to persist in spleen cells of infected mice. To determine the cell type harbouring persistent virus, spleen cells from infected animals were separated into immunoglobulin (Ig)-positive (B cell-enriched), Ig-negative (T cell-enriched) and plastic-adherent (macrophage-enriched) fractions. These cells were co-cultivated with permissive BHK-21 cells in an infectious centre assay. The consistent recovery and enrichment of infectious centres in the Ig-positive fraction clearly demonstrates that B cells are a major site of virus persistence/latency. This observation indicates that MHV-68 is biologically similar to Epstein-Barr virus and other members of the B cell lymphotropic gammaherpesvirus 1 subgroup.
