Influenza type A virus M protein expression on infected cells is responsible for cross-reactive recognition by cytotoxic thymus-derived lymphocytes

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Abstract
M protein of influenza A virus was detected with rabbit antiserum by both indirect immunofluorescence and by antibody plus complement-mediated cytolysis on the cell surfaces of both productively and nonproductively infected [mammalian] cells. In contrast, antiserum to nucleoprotein failed to react with unfixed infected cells, but did bind to fixed infected cells, especially in the perinuclear area. Incorporation of antiserum to M protein in a T[thymus-derived]-cell-mediated cytotoxicity assay produced almost complete abrogation of lysis of H-2-compatible cells infected with an influenza A virus of a subtype which differed from that used to elicit the cytotoxic T cells. The antibody did not significantly block 51Cr release from cells infected with the homotypic type A influenza virus. The cross-reactive cytotoxic T-cell responses seen with cells infected by heterotypic influenza A viruses are apparently due to recognition of a common M protein.

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