title: Role of type I and type II interferon responses in recovery from infection with an encephalitic flavivirus.
abstract: We have investigated the contribution of the interferon (IFN)-alpha/beta system, IFN-gamma and nitric oxide to recovery from infection with Murray Valley encephalitis virus, using a mouse model for flaviviral encephalitis where a small dose of virus was administered to 6-week-old wild-type and gene knockout animals by the intravenous route. We show that a defect in the IFN-alpha/beta responses results in uncontrolled extraneural virus growth, rapid virus entry into the brain and 100 % mortality. In contrast, mice deficient in IFN-gamma or nitric oxide production display an only marginally increased susceptibility to infection with the neurotropic virus.
authors.affiliation: Division of Immunology and Cell Biology, John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, PO Box 334, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lobigs
authors.affiliation: Division of Immunology and Cell Biology, John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, PO Box 334, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
authors.forename: Arno
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Müllbacher
authors.affiliation: Division of Immunology and Cell Biology, John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, PO Box 334, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Division of Immunology and Cell Biology, John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, PO Box 334, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pavy
authors.affiliation: Division of Immunology and Cell Biology, John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, PO Box 334, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018450:Disease Progression; D018068:Encephalitis Virus, Murray Valley / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004671:Encephalitis, Arbovirus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013154:Spleen / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D007371:Interferon-gamma