B-cell-mediated lysis of cells infected with the neurotropic JHM strain ofmouse hepatitis virus

Cells expressing the spike (S) glycoprotein of the neurotropic JHM strain ( JHMV) of mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) are susceptible to lysis by B cells de rived from naive mice, including B cells from perforin-deficient mice. Cyto lysis requires interaction of the virus receptor and the viral S glycoprote in, is independent of other viral-induced components, and is not a unique p roperty of B cells. Neutralizing anti-S-protein monoclonal antibodies (mAb) and a mAb specific for the viral receptor inhibit lysis. However, cells in fected with an MHV strain unable to induce cell-cell fusion are resistant t o lysis and lysis of JHMV-infected cells is inhibited by an anti-S-protein nonneutralizing mAb which prevents S-protein-mediated cell fusion. These da ta suggest that B cells may function as antibody-independent innate immune response during JHMV infection in vivo. (C) 2001 Academic Press.