How the Murine Gammaherpesvirus-68 gp150 Helps the Virus Evade Antibodies
Author Information
Author(s): Gillet Laurent, May Janet S., Colaco Susanna, Stevenson Philip G.
Primary Institution: University of Cambridge
Hypothesis
Gp150 acts as an immunogenic decoy to limit virion neutralization and promote Fc receptor-dependent infection.
Conclusion
Gp150-specific antibodies enhance Fc receptor-dependent infection of MHV-68 but do not neutralize the virus.
Supporting Evidence
- Gp150 was the target of 50% of all infected cell surface-specific mAbs.
- Boosting gp150-specific immunity increased FcR-dependent infection.
- Removing gp150-specific antibodies from immune sera reduced the enhancement of infection.
Takeaway
The virus has a trick where it uses a part of itself called gp150 to confuse the immune system, making it harder for antibodies to stop it.
Methodology
The study involved infecting mice with MHV-68 and analyzing the antibody response to various glycoproteins, particularly gp150, using hybridoma technology.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in antibody response due to the immunodominance of gp150 over other glycoproteins.
Limitations
The study primarily focused on a single virus model and may not generalize to other herpesviruses.
Participant Demographics
BALB/c and C57BL/6J mice were used in the experiments.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.01
Statistical Significance
p<0.01
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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