Abstract
Marek's disease virus (MDV) is a highly oncogenic alphaherpesvirus that causes immunosuppression, paralysis, and deadly lymphomas in chickens. In infected animals, B cells are efficiently infected and are thought to amplify the virus and transfer it to T cells. MDV subsequently establishes latency in T cells and transforms CD4(+) T cells, resulting in fatal lymphomas. Despite many years of research, the exact role of the different B and T cell subsets in MDV pathogenesis remains poorly understood, mostly due to the lack of reverse genetics in chickens. Recently, Ig heavy chain J gene segment knockout (JH-KO) chickens lacking mature and peripheral B cells have been generated. To determine the role of these B cells in MDV pathogenesis, we infected JH-KO chickens with the very virulent MDV RB1B strain. Surprisingly, viral load in the blood of infected animals was not altered in the absence of B cells. More importantly, disease and tumor incidence in JH-KO chickens was comparable to wild-type animals, suggesting that both mature and peripheral B cells are dispensable for MDV pathogenesis. Intriguingly, MDV efficiently replicated in the bursa of Fabricius in JH-KO animals, while spread of the virus to the spleen and thymus was delayed. In the absence of B cells, MDV readily infected CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells, allowing efficient virus replication in the lymphoid organs and transformation of T cells. Taken together, our data change the dogma of the central role of B cells, and thereby provide important insights into MDV pathogenesis.
Item Type: | Journal article |
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Faculties: | Veterinary Medicine > Department of Veterinary Medicine > Lehrstuhl für Physiologie |
Subjects: | 500 Science > 590 Animals (zoology) 600 Technology > 610 Medicine and health |
ISSN: | 0027-8424 |
Language: | English |
Item ID: | 59378 |
Date Deposited: | 11. Dec 2018, 15:10 |
Last Modified: | 04. Nov 2020, 13:38 |