Abstract
Mouse mammary tumor virus has developed strategies to exploit the immune response. It requires vigorous immune stimulation to achieve efficient infection. The infected antigen-presenting cells present a viral superantigen on the cell surface which stimulates strong CD4-mediated T-cell help but CD8 T-cell responses are undetectable. Despite the high frequency of superantigen-reactive T cells, the superantigen-induced immune response is comparable to classical antigen responses in terms of T-cell priming, T-cell-B-cell collaboration as well as follicular and extra-follicular B-cell differentiation. Induction of systemic anergy is observed, similar to classical antigen responses where antigen is administered systemically but does not influence the role of the superantigen-reactive T cells in the maintenance of the chronic germinal center reaction. So far we have been unable to detect a cytotoxic T-cell response to mouse mammary tumor virus peptide antigens or to the superantigen. This might yet represent another step in the viral infection strategy.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 287-303 |
Number of pages | 17 |
Journal | Immunological Reviews |
Volume | 168 |
Publication status | Published - Apr 1999 |
Keywords
- Animals
- Humans
- Tumor Virus Infections
- Mammary Tumor Virus, Mouse
- Antibody Formation
- Antigens, Viral
- Amino Acid Sequence
- Mice
- Virus Diseases
- Superantigens
- Immunity, Cellular
- T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Antigen-Presenting Cells
- Retroviridae Infections
- T-Lymphocytes