ORCID
- Jarvis, Michael: 0000-0002-0124-4061
Abstract
The multimammate mouse (Mastomys natalensis; M. natalensis) has been identified as a major reservoir for multiple human pathogens including Lassa virus (LASV), Leishmania spp., Yersinia spp., and Borrelia spp. Although M. natalensis are related to well-characterized mouse and rat species commonly used in laboratory models, there is an absence of established assays and reagents to study the host immune responses of M. natalensis. As a result, there are major limitations to our understanding of immunopathology and mechanisms of immunological pathogen control in this increasingly important rodent species. In the current study, a large panel of commercially available rodent reagents were screened to identify their cross-reactivity with M. natalensis. Using these reagents, ex vivo assays were established and optimized to evaluate lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine production by M. natalensis lymphocytes. In contrast to C57BL/6J mice, lymphocytes from M. natalensis were relatively non-responsive to common stimuli such as phytohaemagglutinin P and lipopolysaccharide. However, they readily responded to concanavalin A stimulation as indicated by proliferation and cytokine production. In summary, we describe lymphoproliferative and cytokine assays demonstrating that the cellular immune responses in M. natalensis to commonly used mitogens differ from a laboratory-bred mouse strain.
DOI
10.3390/v13050729
Publication Date
2021-04-22
Publication Title
Viruses
Volume
13
Issue
5
ISSN
1999-4915
Embargo Period
2021-12-03
Organisational Unit
School of Biomedical Sciences
First Page
729
Last Page
729
Recommended Citation
Tang-Huau, T. L., Rosenke, K., Meade-White, K., Carmody, A., Smith, B., Bosio, C., Jarvis, M., & Feldmann, H. (2021) 'Mastomys natalensis Has a Cellular Immune Response Profile Distinct from Laboratory Mice', Viruses, 13(5), pp. 729-729. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/v13050729
