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Immunoglobulin Response in Experimental Infection with Cell-Free and Cell-Associated Marek's Disease Virus¹

From the Department of Pathobiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06268

Abstract

The immunosuppressive effect of Marek's disease herpesvirus (MDV) on humoral antibody development was evaluated before the time of overt neoplasia. One-day-old line 7 chickens were tested for passively acquired MD agar gel precipitating (AGP) antibody and infected intra-abdominally with cell-free or cell-associated MDV. Infected chickens were subsequently inoculated with a sheep erythrocyte (SRBC) suspension and the humoral response to this antigen was evaluated by following SRBC hemagglutination titer.

Immunosuppression of IgG anti-SRBC antibody was found in chickens infected with cell-associated MDV virus regardless of whether maternal MD-AGP antibody was present. No significant suppression was found in similar chickens infected with cell-free MDV. IgM anti-SRBC antibody was unaltered in all of the infected groups receiving cell-free or cell-associated MDV. At termination of the experimental period (40 days postinoculation MDV), MD-AGP antibody was found in all infected groups. The incidence of this antibody was lowest in birds negative for maternal MD-AGP antibody and infected with cell-associated MDV, reflecting the severe suppression of anti-SRBC antibody encountered in this same group during the experimental period.

On the basis of these findings, humoral immunosuppression in MD appears to be a phenomenon associated with high doses of cell-associated virus. The effect primarily involves IgG antibody while IgM antibody appears to remain unaltered.

Footnotes

¹ This work was supported by Contract 69–52 within the Special Virus Cancer Program of the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, United States Public Health Service and is submitted as Scientific Contribution No. 548, Storrs Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06268.

² This work represents a portion of a thesis submitted by R. M. Jakowski to the Graduate School of University of Connecticut in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree.