Characterization of the lymphocytic alveolitis in visna‐maedi virus‐induced interstitial lung disease of sheep

• Published in: Clinical and experimental immunology Vol. 90; no. 1; pp. 18 - 24
• Main Authors: CORDIER, G., GUIGUEN, F., CADORE, J. L., COZON, G., JACQUIER, M. F., MORNEX, J. F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.10.1992; Blackwell
• Subjects: alveolar lymphocytes; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Experimental viral diseases and models; Histocompatibility Antigens Class II - analysis; Infectious diseases; interstitial lung disease; lentiviruscs; Lymphocyte Subsets - immunology; Lymphocyte Subsets - microbiology; Medical sciences; Pulmonary Alveoli - immunology; Pulmonary Alveoli - pathology; Sheep; Viral diseases; Visna - immunology; Visna - pathology; Visna-maedi virus; Immunohistochemistry; Respiratory disease; Lung; Retroviridae; Visna virus; Cell subpopulation; Infection; Virus; Vertebrata; Experimental disease; Mammalia; Bronchoalveolar lavage; Pulmonary alveolus; Animal; Viral disease; Lentivirinae; Isolate; Sheep; Artiodactyla; Maedi; Lymphocyte; Ungulata; Maedi virus
• ISSN: 0009-9104; 1365-2249
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2249.1992.tb05825.x

SUMMARY In order to investigate the contribution of lymphocytes to interstitial lung disease in animals with visna‐maedi infection, we studied in parallel bronchoalveolar cells and lung tissue from slaughterhouse animals (n= 29) and from colostrum‐deprived lambs transtracheally inoculated with field isolates of visna‐maedi virus (n= 9) or saline (n = 6). Lymphocyte subpopulations were identified in bronchoalveolar lavagc by immunofluorescence and flow cylomctry analysis and in lung tissue using indirect immunohistochemistry. In infected animals a lymphocytic alveolitis containing CD4 and CD8 lymphocytes was observed. Pcribronchovascular lymphoid nodules comprise mostly CD4 lymphocytes. Alveolar lymphocytes of both subsets displayed increased expression of MHC class II antigens in animals with naturally occurring maedi but not in experimentally infected ones. A sequential process of lymphocyte attraction and activation is likely to occur in vivo as part of the alveolitis.