Pattern of infection and selective loss of Ia positive cells in suckling and adult mice inoculated with lactic dehydrogenase virus.

Lactic dehydrogenase virus (LDV) infected cells were localised in cryostat sections of infected adult and suckling mice by fluorescent antibody staining. In almost every organ except brain and spinal cord, LDV infected cells were present in interstitial connective tissue, including dermis and submucosa of gastrointestinal and urinogenital tracts. They were also present in liver sinusoids and red pulp of spleen. The tissue distribution, shape, and fluorescence staining pattern of infected cells were similar in adult and suckling mice. The reactivity with monoclonal antibody to mouse macrophages (F4/80) and to Ia antigens indicated that infected cells were Ia antigen positive macrophages, and this was confirmed in double labelling experiments. Peak numbers of LDV infected cells were seen in every organ 12-18 hours post infection (p.i.), disappearing rapidly thereafter until at 48 hours p.i. they could no longer be detected. At the same time Ia positive cells fell to undetectable levels, although macrophages were still present in reduced numbers. At 7 days p.i. the total number of macrophages in sections had returned to normal, but the number of Ia positive cells remained at low levels. Macrophages recovered from peritoneal cavity and spleen of intraperitoneally infected mice were also studied. Ia positive cells had virtually disappeared from peritoneal cavity at 24-48 hours, and from spleen at 24-72 hours. Three weeks after infection the proportion of Ia positive cells was still low when compared with that of normal mice suggesting selective loss of these cells.