Role of dendritic cells infected with human herpesvirus 6 in virus transmission to CD4{sup +} T cells
- Laboratory of Virology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Biomedical Innovation (Japan)
- Laboratory of Toxicogenomics, Division of Biomedical Research, National Institute of Biomedical Innovation (Japan)
Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) is a ubiquitous betaherpesvirus that predominantly infects and replicates in CD4{sup +} T lymphocytes. However, the mechanism of HHV-6 transmission to T cells from the peripheral mucosa is unknown. Here we found that dendritic cells (DCs) can transmit HHV-6 to T cells, resulting in productive infection. In immature monocyte-derived DCs (MDDCs) infected with HHV-6, viral early and late antigens were expressed, and nucleocapsids containing a DNA core were observed, although few virions were detected in the cytoplasm by electron microscopy, indicating that the maturation of HHV-6 virions may be incomplete in MDDCs. However, HHV-6 transmission from MDDCs to stimulated CD4{sup +} T cells occurred efficiently in coculture of these cells, but not from MDDCs culture supernatants. This transmission was partially inhibited by treating the DCs with a viral DNA synthesis blocker, indicating that viral replication in MDDCs is required for this transmission. Furthermore, myeloid DCs and plasmacytoid DCs infected with HHV-6 could also transmit the virus to stimulated T cells. Thus, DCs may be the first cell population targeted by HHV-6 and could play an important role in the virus' transmission to T cells for their further propagation.
- OSTI ID:
- 21182811
- Journal Information:
- Virology, Vol. 385, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2008.11.049; PII: S0042-6822(08)00794-0; Copyright (c) 2008 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0042-6822
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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