Wahl L M, Bittner B, Nowak M A
Theoretical Biology, Institute for Advanced Study, Olden Lane, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA.
Int Immunol. 2000 Oct;12(10):1371-80. doi: 10.1093/intimm/12.10.1371.
Antigenic variation is an important factor in viral persistence and disease progression. We analyze immunological changes which occur in response to antigenic mutation during chronic viral infection. Using an established model of viral and immune system dynamics, we determine which qualitative shifts in the immune response can be elicited by the appearance of a new mutant. We find that antigenic mutation can cause dramatic shifts in the magnitude and type of anti-viral immune response. For example, the appearance of a mutant can elicit a new immune response which recognizes the original viral strain. We also find that novel strains of the virus which replicate more slowly than existing viral strains are able to invade and survive, even when the immune system is capable of mounting an immune response against the mutant.
抗原变异是病毒持续存在和疾病进展的一个重要因素。我们分析了慢性病毒感染期间因抗原突变而发生的免疫变化。利用已建立的病毒与免疫系统动力学模型，我们确定了新突变体的出现可引发免疫反应的哪些定性变化。我们发现抗原突变可导致抗病毒免疫反应的强度和类型发生显著变化。例如，突变体的出现可引发一种新的免疫反应，该反应能识别原始病毒株。我们还发现，复制速度比现有病毒株慢的新型病毒株即使在免疫系统能够对突变体产生免疫反应的情况下，也能够侵入并存活下来。
