A Heparan-Dependent Herpesvirus Targets the Olfactory Neuroepithelium for Host Entry
Figure 10
HS-dependent virion binding to the olfactory neuroepithelium.
a. 1 week old mice were allowed to inhale wild-type, gL−gp70−, or gL−gp70−gp150− virions (106 p.f.u. equivalents in 2 µl). 45 min later the nasal passages were rinsed by PBS inhalation and neuroepithelial sections examined for viral antigens by immunofluorescent staining with a polyclonal immune serum. α-tubulin staining was used to visualise the neuroepithelial surface. Nuclei were counter-stained with DAPI. The images are representative of data from 3 mice per group. b. Viral antigen staining, as in a, was quantitated by counting MuHV-4 antigen+ pixels over representative fixed areas, and dividing by the α-tubulin+ pixel number. Each point shows the result for 1 section. Sections were pooled from 3 mice per group. The horizontal bars show medians. By Student's 2-tailed t test, gL−gp70− virion binding was significantly reduced relative to wild-type (p<0.005) whereas gL−gp70−gp150− virion binding was not (p = 0.3).