Memory B cells and serum from infected mice protect from an existing MCMV infection. RAG−/− mice were infected with 105 pfu MCMV157luc. Three days after infection naive B cells, B cells from MCMV-infected CD8α−/− mice, sera from naive mice, or sera from immune mice (250 μL each) were transferred. (A) Bioluminescence imaging of mice (3 representative mice from 5-6 mice/group are shown) for 14 days after infection. Images were obtained from a 5-minute acquisition and a pseudocolor scale shows relative photon flux for each image. (B) Survival curve of 6 RAG−/− mice/group adoptively transferred with B cells from MCMV-infected mice (—○—), naive B cells (—●—), sera from naive mice (–◆–), or sera from immune mice (–◇–). Mice that received memory B cells or sera from immune mice showed a significantly prolonged survival (P < .001) compared with naive B cells and naive sera, respectively.
