Stimulation of chemiluminescence in bovine polymorphonuclear leucocytes by virus-antibody complexes and by antibody-coated infected cells.

The induction of CL in bovine polymorphonuclear granulocytes (PMN) by bovine herpes virus Type I was studied. Virus and virus-infected bovine embryonic lung cells were unable to stimulate cellular light emission. When virus and infected cells were incubated in the presence of immune serum, a burst of CL was induced in PMN. The mechanism of CL induction was dependent on the antibody Fc portion, as F(ab')2 fragments bound to antigen were unable to stimulate CL. These observations suggest that PMN may exert antiviral activity in the presence of a specific antibody. In addition, the measurement of antibody-induced CL represents a highly sensitive tool for the study of antigens present on the surface of viruses, and of viral antigens expressed on cell surfaces.