MyD88-dependent influx of monocytes and neutrophils impairs lymph node B cell responses to chikungunya virus infection via Irf5, Nos2 and Nox2

McCarthy, Mary K.; Reynoso, Glennys V.; Winkler, Emma S.; Mack, Matthias; Diamond, Michael S.; Hickman, Heather D.; Morrison, Thomas E.

Clearance of the attenuated CHIKV strain 181/25 from musculoskeletal tissue depends on virus-specific Ab production. In comparison, pathogenic CHIKV strains persist in joint-associated tissue of immunocompetent mice [14, 15] , suggesting that the development of virusspecific B cell responses may be impaired during CHIKV infection. Indeed, we previously found that pathogenic CHIKV strains disable immune responses in the dLN of infected mice by impairing naïve lymphocyte entry and expansion of HEVs [23] . Additionally, the dLN exhibited follicular disorganization, with a loss of the B-T cell border and poor GC formation following pathogenic CHIKV infection. However, the mechanisms leading to architectural disruption and impaired lymphocyte accumulation remained to be defined.