TY - JOUR
T1 - Pathogenesis of a model gammaherpesvirus in a natural host
AU - Hughes, David J.
AU - Kipar, Anja
AU - Sample, Jeffery T.
AU - Stewart, James P.
PY - 2010/4
Y1 - 2010/4
N2 - Murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68) infection of laboratory mice (Mus musculus) is an established model of gammaherpesvirus pathogenesis. The fact that M. musculus is not a host in the wild prompted us to reassess MHV-68 infection in wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus), a natural host. Here, we report significant differences in MHV-68 infection in the two species: (i) following intranasal inoculation, MHV-68 replicated in the lungs of wood mice to levels approximately 3 log units lower than in BALB/c mice; (ii) in BALB/c mice, virus replication in alveolar epithelial cells was accompanied by a diffuse, T-cell-dominated interstitial pneumonitis, whereas in wood mice it was restricted to focal granulomatous infiltrations; (iii) within wood mice, latently infected lymphocytes were abundant in inducible bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue that was not apparent in BALB/c mice; (iv) splenic latency was established in both species, but well-delineated secondary follicles with germinal centers were present in wood mice, while only poorly delineated follicles were seen in BALB/c mice; and, perhaps as a consequence, (v) production of neutralizing antibody was significantly higher in wood mice. These differences highlight the value of this animal model in the study of MHV-68 pathogenesis.
AB - Murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68) infection of laboratory mice (Mus musculus) is an established model of gammaherpesvirus pathogenesis. The fact that M. musculus is not a host in the wild prompted us to reassess MHV-68 infection in wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus), a natural host. Here, we report significant differences in MHV-68 infection in the two species: (i) following intranasal inoculation, MHV-68 replicated in the lungs of wood mice to levels approximately 3 log units lower than in BALB/c mice; (ii) in BALB/c mice, virus replication in alveolar epithelial cells was accompanied by a diffuse, T-cell-dominated interstitial pneumonitis, whereas in wood mice it was restricted to focal granulomatous infiltrations; (iii) within wood mice, latently infected lymphocytes were abundant in inducible bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue that was not apparent in BALB/c mice; (iv) splenic latency was established in both species, but well-delineated secondary follicles with germinal centers were present in wood mice, while only poorly delineated follicles were seen in BALB/c mice; and, perhaps as a consequence, (v) production of neutralizing antibody was significantly higher in wood mice. These differences highlight the value of this animal model in the study of MHV-68 pathogenesis.
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U2 - 10.1128/JVI.02085-09
DO - 10.1128/JVI.02085-09
M3 - Article
C2 - 20130062
AN - SCOPUS:77950463338
VL - 84
SP - 3949
EP - 3961
JO - Journal of Virology
JF - Journal of Virology
SN - 0022-538X
IS - 8
ER -