Role of CXCR3 in the Immune Response to Murine Gammaherpesvirus 68

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Abstract
The chemokine IP-10 (CXCL10) and its cellular receptor CXCR3 are upregulated in the lung during murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68) infection. In order to determine the role of the CXCR3 chemokine receptor in the immune response to MHV-68, CXCR3 −/− mice were infected with the virus. CXCR3 −/− mice showed delayed clearance of replicating MHV-68 from the lungs. This correlated with delayed T-cell recruitment to the lungs and reduced cytolytic activity prior to viral clearance. Splenomegaly and the numbers of latently infected cells per spleen were transiently increased. Ηowever, CXCR3 −/− mice showed normal virus-specific antibody titers and effective long-term control of MHV-68 infection.