title: Feline immunodeficiency virus neurotropism: evidence that astrocytes and microglia are the primary target cells.
abstract: To investigate the neuropathogenesis of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection in vitro, we have utilized three populations of cultured feline neural cells (astrocytes, microglia, brain endothelium) to assess the relative susceptibility to FIV infection, ability to produce viral antigens, and effects of infection on cell survival. Astrocytes appeared to be the most susceptible to infection, followed by microglia, whereas brain endothelial cells were relatively resistant to infection. Astrocyte infection resulted in syncytium formation and cell death, while microglial cells remained persistently and productively infected, without obvious cytopathic effects. These results suggest that FIV entry into the central nervous system probably does not occur via infected endothelium and that both astrocytes and microglia are more likely target cells for the virus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins 80503.
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Dow
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Dreitz
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Hoover
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000382:microbiology*; D002415:Cats; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000382:microbiology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000382:microbiology*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000032:analysis; D016089:Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000166:cytology / Q000382:microbiology*; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D015683:Gene Products, gag