Antiviral immune responses in Itk-deficient mice.

Journal article

Mice lacking Itk, a T-cell-specific protein tyrosine kinase, have reduced numbers of T cells and reduced responses to allogeneic major histocompatibility molecules. This study analyzed antiviral immune responses in mice deficient for Itk. Primary cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses were analyzed after infection with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), vaccinia virus (VV), and vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). Ex vivo CTL activity was consistently reduced by a factor of two to six for the different viruses. CTL responses after restimulation in vitro were similarly reduced unless exogenous cytokines were added. In the presence of interleukin-2 or concanavalin A supernatant, Itk-deficient and control mice responded similarly. Interestingly, while LCMV was completely eliminated by day 8 in both Itk-deficient and control mice, VV cleared from itk-/- mice with delayed kinetics. Antibody responses were evaluated after VSV infection. Both the T-cell-independent neutralizing immunoglobulin M (IgM) and the T-cell-dependent IgG responses were similar in Itk-deficient and control mice. Taken together, the results show that CTL responses are reduced in the absence of Itk whereas antiviral B-cell responses are not affected.

Authors: Bachmann, M; Littman, DR; Liao, X

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Journal of virology
• Volume: 71
• Issue: 10
• Pages: 7253-7257
• Publication date: 1997-10-01
• EISSN: 1098-5514
• ISSN: 0022-538X
• Language: English
• Keywords: Lymphocyte Activation; Vaccinia virus; Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; Immunoglobulin G; Major Histocompatibility Complex; Antibodies, Viral; B-Lymphocytes; Mice, Knockout; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; Mice; Vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus; Time Factors; Animals; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic; Cytokines; T-Lymphocytes; Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus; Immunoglobulin M; Antibody Formation; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay