Acute resolving woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) infection is associated with a strong cytotoxic T-lymphocyte response to a single WHV core peptide.

ABSTRACT: Woodchucks infected with woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) are an excellent model for studying acute, self-limited and chronic hepadnaviral infections. Defects in the immunological response leading to chronicity are still unknown. Specific T-helper cell responses to WHV core and surface antigens (WHcAg and WHsAg, respectively) are associated with acute resolving infection; however, they are undetectable in chronic infection. Up to now, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses could not be determined in the woodchuck. In the present study, we detected virus-specific CTL responses by a CD107a degranulation assay. The splenocytes of woodchucks in the postacute phase of WHV infection (18 months postinfection) were isolated and stimulated with overlapping peptides covering the whole WHcAg. After 6

SUBMITTER: Frank I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1933276 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature