Infected and apoptotic cells in the IBDV-infected bursa of Fabricius, studied by double-labelling techniques.

Infections of young chickens with infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) result in depletion of lymphoid cells of the bursa of Fabricius (BF) due to necrosis and apoptotic processes. Interactions between IBDV and lymphoid cells were investigated by labelling paraffin-embedded tissue sections of infected BF with combinations of either immunohistochemistry (IHC), in situ hybridization (ISH) or in situ TUNEL reaction (IST). With regard to specificity and sensitivity, results of ISH were comparable to those of IHC. By double-labelling it was shown, for the first time, that viral antigen was present in most of the apoptotic cells. This suggests that IBDV may be directly involved in the induction of the apoptotic process. However, some cells also showed either viral antigen or DNA fragmentation, especially at the early stages of infection. It should be taken into account, therefore, that the apoptotic processes might also be induced by IBDV through indirect interaction between cells. Remarkably, in some of the infected lymphoid cells ISH signals were observed in the nucleolus.