H-2 class I loci determine sensitivity to MCMV in macrophages and fibroblasts.

Peritoneal (PM) and bone marrow-derived (BMM) macrophages and lung fibroblasts (LF) from inbred, intra-H-2 recombinant, H-2 mutant, and hybrid mice were infected with murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) under centrifugal enhancement. At the concentration of virus employed, peritoneal macrophages from strains carrying Kd, Kb, Dd, Ks and/or Ds, Kq and/or Dq alleles could be infected to a level of 80%-100%, as assessed by viral antigen expression or loss of Fc receptors. Cells lacking these haplotypes and carrying Kk, Kj, Dk, Dj, or Db were resistant, yielding levels of infection below 20%. The background (non-H-2) and class II genotype and the S allele did not influence the proportions of cells infected. Furthermore, sensitivity was dominant in the F1 progeny of H-2b X H-2k and H-2d X H-2k crosses, and was not compromised by the bm1, bm3, bm10, or bm14 mutations in the alpha 1 or alpha 2 regions of Kb or Db. The proportions of cells able to release infectious virus were low, but paralleled the frequencies of viral antigen expression. The class I genotype also determined susceptibility to MCMV infection in BMM and LF, although up to 35% of H-2k BMM and 46% of H-2k LF could be infected. The findings are consistent with an association between K and D antigens and a cellular receptor for MCMV on all three cell types.