BALB/c substrain differences in susceptibility to Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus-induced demyelinating disease.
We report differences among BALB/c substrains in susceptibility to Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV)-induced demyelinating disease, an immune-mediated inflammatory demyelinating disease and experimental model for human multiple sclerosis. BALB/cJ and BALB/cAnNCr mice are susceptible, while BALB/cByJ and BALB/cCum are resistant. Hybrids between BALB/cBy and BALB/cAnNCr were intermediate, although closer to the resistant parent. Backcrosses gave results compatible with differential susceptibility being related to a single segregating locus. Exposure of resistant BALB/cByJ mice to low dose irradiation, 2 days prior to infection, rendered them susceptible to TMEV-induced demyelination. The susceptibility pattern of TMEV-induced demyelinating disease among BALB/c substrains is distinct from those of several autoimmune disorders.
Nicholson
S M
SM
Department of Microbiology-Immunology, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL 60611.
Peterson
J D
JD
Miller
S D
SD
Wang
K
K
Dal Canto
M C
MC
Melvold
R W
RW
D000818:Animals; D003711:Demyelinating Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D013045:Species Specificity; D017945:Theilovirus