Suppression of immune response induction in Peyer's patch lymphoid cells from mice infected with mouse hepatitis virus

Multiple previous studies have demonstrated significant alterations of immunologic parameters associated with mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) infection, but effects of the virus on mucosal lymphoid cells have not been examined. Coincident with a natural outbreak of MHV at our institution, we noted alterations in immunoglobulin secretion by mature Peyer's patch B cells under an inductive stimulus provided by dendritic cells and mitogen-activated T cells (DC-T). MHV was isolated from mice affected during the outbreak, and experimental infection of mice with the isolate consistently resulted in failures of immunoglobulin secretion by cocultures of Peyer's patch DC-T and B cells. In subsequent experiments, MHV appeared to negatively affect DC-T more than B cells. Therefore, the effects of inapparent MHV infection on experimental mucosal immune responses can result from natural infection and can be experimentally reproduced.