Requirement for CD40 ligand, CD4 T cells, and B cells in an infectious mononucleosis-like syndrome

Abstract

Respiratory challenge with the murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (γHV-68) results in productive infection of the lung, the establishment of latency in B lymphocytes and other cell types, transient splenomegaly, and prolonged clonal expansion of activated CD8+ CD62L(lo) T cells, particularly a Vβ4+ CD8+ population that is found in mice with different major histocompatibility complex (MHC) haplotypes. Aspects of the CD8+-T-cell response are substantially modified in mice that lack B cells, CD4+ T cells, or the CD40 ligand (CD40L). The B-cell-deficient mice show no increase in VIβ4+ CD8+ T cells. Similar abrogation of the Vβ4+ CD8+ response is seen following antibody-mediated depletion of the CD4+ sub..