Abstract
Measles virus (MV) is a highly contagious virus that is transmitted by aerosols. During systemic infection, CD150+ T and B lymphocytes in blood and lymphoid tissues are the main cells infected by pathogenic MV. However, it is unclear which cell types are the primary targets for MV in the lungs and how the virus reaches the lymphoid tissues. In vitro studies have shown that dendritic cell (DC) C-type lectin DC-SIGN captures MV, leading to infection of DCs as well as transmission to lymphocytes. However, evidence of DC-SIGN-mediated transmission in vivo has not been established. Here we identified DC-SIGNhi DCs as first target cells in vivo and demonstrate that macaque DC-SIGN functions as an attachment receptor for MV. Notably, DC-SIGNhi cells from macaque broncho-alveolar lavage and lymph nodes transmit MV to B lymphocytes, providing in vivo support for an important role for DCs in both initiation and dissemination of MV infection.
Highlights
Measles virus (MV) is a highly contagious virus, transmitted via the respiratory route
enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)+ dendritic cell (DC)-SIGNhi cells were detected in 2/3 animals at the earliest time point, 2 d.p.i., whereas no EGFP+ DC-SIGNlo/HLADR+ cells were present on day 2 (Figure 1A)
From 3 d.p.i. onwards, EGFP+ DCSIGNhi cells were detected in all animals (n = 3 per time point) and the number of MV-infected cells increased over time
Summary
Measles virus (MV) is a highly contagious virus, transmitted via the respiratory route. We have shown in in vivo studies using a pathogenic recombinant (r)MV expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) that memory CD150+ B and T lymphocytes are the predominant cells infected in blood and lymph nodes during the peak of infection [10,11]. It remains unclear which cells are the first target cells after aerosol infection and how the virus is disseminated from lungs to the lymphoid tissues
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