Superantigens and retroviral infection: insights from mouse mammary tumor virus

• Published in: Immunology Today Vol. 15; no. 4; pp. 184 - 190
• Main Authors: Held, Werner, Acha-Orbea, Hans, MacDonald, H.Robson, Waanders, Gary A.
• Format: Book Review Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier B.V 01.04.1994; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Antigens, Viral - immunology; B-Lymphocytes - physiology; Biological and medical sciences; Host-tumor relations. Immunology. Biological markers; Lymphoma - immunology; Mammary Tumor Virus, Mouse - immunology; Medical sciences; Mice; Retroviridae Infections - immunology; Superantigens - immunology; T-Lymphocytes - physiology; Tumor Virus Infections - immunology; Tumors; Cell proliferation; Oncovirinae; Genome organization; T cell receptor; Variable region; Major histocompatibility system; Class II histocompatibility antigen; Beta-Peptide chain; Retroviridae; Virus replication cycle; B-Lymphocyte; Review; H-2-System; Host virus relation; Infection; Virus; Antigen; Viral disease; T-Lymphocyte; Tumor; Type B oncovirus; Mouse mammary tumor virus
• ISSN: 0167-5699
• DOI: 10.1016/0167-5699(94)90317-4

Superantigens induce a vigorous immune response by stimulating T cells that express particular T-cell receptor Vβ chains. Mouse mammary tumor virus is a milk-transmitted retrovirus that encodes such a superantigen. Paradoxically, as discussed by Werner Held and colleagues, the strong superantigen-induced immune response permits the survival of the virus via T-cell dependent clonal expansion of infected B cells.