Contributions of host and donor T cells to the inflammatory process in murine lymphocytic choriomeningitis.

The severe inflammation characteristic of the infection of adult mice with murine lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) is induced earlier in unsuppressed, virus-infected recipients by the adoptive transfer of class I MHC-compatible, CD4- CD8+ LCMV-immune spleen cell populations. The time to onset of fatal LCM may also be slightly diminished, though not to the extent that would be expected from the enhanced kinetics of the extravasation of cells into cerebrospinal fluid. The development of symptoms is thus not solely related to the magnitude of the inflammatory process. The majority of the T lymphocytes in the inflammatory exudate are of host origin and have the size characteristics of resting cells, while the minority population of donor T cells show more of a lymphoblast morphology. The findings are consistent with the idea that relatively few CD8+ virus-immune effectors trigger an inflammatory process which consists largely of secondarily recruited host T cells and monocyte/macrophages.