Studies on the immune response and pathogenesis of Sendai virus infection of mice. I. The fate of viral antigens.

Abstract

The distribution of viral antigens was determined in lungs, spleen and bronchial lymph nodes of a non-lethal primary Sendai virus infection of mice. Immunofluorescent staining showed that virus was initially confined to the bronchial mucosal columnar cells. Most antigen was present in this location between the 3rd and 5th days a finding which correlated well with infectivity assays. From the 3rd day desquamated mucosal cells in the bronchial lumen showed relatively weak staining for viral antigens. Alveolar macrophages were shown to contain viral antigens only after mucosal shedding had occurred. Viral antigens were found in bronchial lymph nodes between the 3rd to 9th days, and in the spleen from the 3rd day to 49th day after infection. Virus could not be grown from the spleen at any time.