The Zvonimir Dinter Memorial Lecture. New insights into the pathogenesis of viral infection.
Interesting recent highlights into the pathogenesis of viral infections have come from: (1) Studies of viruses that persist in cells and modify cell function without causing cell damage. (2) Transgenic mouse studies showing how tissue-specific transcriptional activators control virus expression and can determine viral tropism. (3) Studies of the influence of cell differentiation on viral expression. (4) The exploding world of cytokines, whose baffling complexity and multiple interactions are subjects of intense study. (5) Studies of the interaction of viruses with the immune system. In each case, no molecular studies are giving unprecedented insights into disease processes. However, even when viral genomes are sequenced and virulence genes identified there are additional daunting steps before we understand the role of a given gene product in pathogenesis.
Mims
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Department of Microbiology, Guys Hospital Medical School, London, UK.
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D016207:Cytokines / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000382:microbiology; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D018406:Virus Physiological Phenomena
D016207:Cytokines