Immunity to rotavirus infection in mice

Recent findings from our laboratory regarding the immune response of mice t o rotavirus (a mucosal pathogen) show that although in most situations an a cquired (T or B cell or both) response is necessary for elimination of prim ary rotavirus infection, unidentified innate mechanisms can also play a rol e in some mouse strains. Similar to what is seen with many other viruses, C D8(+) T cells appear to provide the first but not the exclusive mechanism t hat mediates clearance of a primary rotavirus infection, Antibodies are the critical mediators of prevention against rotavirus reinfection. Nonneutral izing IgA monoclonal antibodies directed against VP6 (an internal structura l rotavirus protein) can mediate immunity against rotaviruses in vivo. Rota virus-specific CD8(+) T cells can mediate their antiviral effect in the abs ence of perforin, fas, or interferon-gamma and are preferentially represent ed in the subset that expresses high levels of the enteric mucosal homing r eceptor alpha 4 beta 7.