Cytolytic, Complement-Dependent Antibodies to Measles Virus in Rhesus Monkeys after Administration of Live or Killed Virus

Abstract

Infection of rhesus monkeys with measles virus induced specific complement-dependent cytolytic antibodies during the early phase of acute infection. The development of maximal levels of the complement-dependent cytolytic antibodies appears to be dependent on the respiratory rather than the parenteral route of infection and on the use of live rather than killed measles virus. These levels of cytolytic antibodies seem to be independent of levels of simultaneously developing neutralizing and hemagglutinating antibodies. It is proposed that complement-dependent cytolytic antibodies play an important role in the elimination of acute measles virus in vivo by lysing the foci of infected cells and by blocking the spread of virus by cell fusion.

Fatal measles infection in marmosets pathogenesis and prophylaxis

“…For instance, much lower amounts of measles antigen are found in tissues of rhesus monkeys infected under conditions of infection comparable to those used in this study (41). On the other hand, neutralizing antibodies appear in rhesus monkeys 7 days after infection and reach titers 10-fold higher than in marmosets (20,21).…”

Measles virus and its associated diseases.

“…Measles virus can infect lymphocytes in vitro and, depending upon the experimental conditions, both lytic and persistent infections have been obtained (20,173,234,352). Measles virusinfected cells can be lysed in the presence of specific antibody and complement (139,140,172,233), but under conditions that strip virus antigens from the cell's surface (antigenic modulation), infected cells become resistant to im-mune cytolysis (170,171). In addition, radioimmunoassays have shown that HeLa cells persistently infected with measles virus bind two to three times less antibody than do acutely infected cells, and these cells are also more resistant to antibody-mediated lysis (174).…”

Retrospective Evaluation of Measles Antibody Titers in Vaccinated Captive Gorillas (Gorilla Gorilla Gorilla)

“…19 The vaccine was validated in rhesus macaques, is approved for use in humans, 8 and reportedly is safe in great apes, 19 although results of efficacy trials in gorillas have not been published. These recommendations are based on information extrapolated from human data and the known persistence of maternal antibodies for 15 mo in great apes.…”