viral proteins processed in monocytes
Infection with feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV), a feline coronavirus, frequently leads to death in spite of a strong humoral immune response. In previous work, we reported that infected monocytes, the in vivo target cells of FIPV, express viral proteins in their plasma membranes.These proteins are quickly internalized upon binding of antibodies.hese findings indicate that the viral antigen-antibody complexes were not internalized through any of the previously described pathways. Further characterization showed that this internalization process was independent from phosphatases and tyrosine kinases but did depend on serine/threonine kinases.