Restriction of poliovirus RNA replication in persistently infected nerve cells.
The aetiology of post-polio syndrome may involve persistence of poliovirus (PV) in the CNS. PV persists in the CNS of infected paralysed mice for over a year after the acute phase of paralytic poliomyelitis. However, infectious PV particles cannot be recovered from homogenates of CNS from paralysed mice after the acute phase of disease, indicating that PV replication is restricted. To identify the molecular mechanism by which PV replication is limited, PV RNA synthesis was analysed by estimating the relative level of genomic (plus-strand) and complementary (minus-strand) PV RNA in the CNS of persistently infected mice. PV RNA replication decreased during the 6 months following onset of paralysis, due mainly to inhibition of plus-strand RNA synthesis. Thus, restriction of PV RNA synthesis may contribute to persistence by limiting virus replication in the mouse CNS. Interestingly, viral RNA replication was similarly inhibited in neuroblastoma IMR-32 cell cultures persistently infected with PV. This in vitro model thus shows that cellular factors play a role in the inhibition of viral RNA synthesis.
Girard
Sophie
S
Unité de Neurovirologie et Régénération du Système Nerveux, Institut Pasteur, 28 rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris cedex 15, France1.
Gosselin
Anne-Sophie
AS
Unité de Neurovirologie et Régénération du Système Nerveux, Institut Pasteur, 28 rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris cedex 15, France1.
Pelletier
Isabelle
I
Unité de Neurovirologie et Régénération du Système Nerveux, Institut Pasteur, 28 rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris cedex 15, France1.
Colbère-Garapin
Florence
F
Unité de Neurovirologie et Régénération du Système Nerveux, Institut Pasteur, 28 rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris cedex 15, France1.
Couderc
Thérèse
T
Unité de Neurovirologie et Régénération du Système Nerveux, Institut Pasteur, 28 rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris cedex 15, France1.
Blondel
Bruno
B
Unité de Neurovirologie et Régénération du Système Nerveux, Institut Pasteur, 28 rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris cedex 15, France1.
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D009474:Neurons / Q000821:virology*; D011051:Poliomyelitis / Q000821:virology*; D017955:Poliovirus / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D012367:RNA, Viral