The role of neutrophils in antiviral defense--in vitro studies on the mechanism of antiviral inhibition.

Highly enriched populations of bovine neutrophils were added, in the presence of antiviral antibody, to herpesvirus-infected bovine cell cultures. A cell dose-dependent reduction in virus-induced cytopathology was observed. The mechanism of inhibition was presumed to be mediated by a subcellular neutrophil product and not the result of either direct cytotoxicity or antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC). Thus, inhibition of comparable magnitude was observed when neutrophils and virus-infected cells were separated by cell impermeable membranes. In addition, plaque reduction occurred when antiviral immunoglobulins or fragments unable to mediate ADCC were used in the assays. Killed neutrophils and sonicates were unable to mediate plaque inhibition. Speculations were made as to the origin of the virus-inhibitory substances and the role that neutrophils might assume in mediating recovery from virus infection.