Characterization of the acute immune response in the retina of Borna disease virus infected Lewis rats.
In Lewis rats infected intracerebrally with the highly neurotropic Borna disease virus (BDV), the retina is one of the most severely affected central nervous system (CNS) structures. While BDV-induced damage in the brain has been previously shown to be caused by a T-cell-dependent process, the immunopathological mechanisms leading to BDV-induced retinitis remain to be elucidated. RNA samples from retinae were subjected to RNase protection assays to detect transcripts of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines known to be involved in the recruitment of T-cells and macrophages in the CNS. The observed expression profile of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, as well as the immunohistochemical detection of alpha beta TCR-positive, CD4- and CD8-positive T-cells in the BDV-infected retinae, is reminiscent of the situation observed in the brains of Lewis rats during the acute phase of Borna disease (BD). This suggests that similar immunopathological mechanisms are operating in retinae and brains of infected rats.
Stahl
Tobias
T
Department of Veterinary Anatomy, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 43 D-04109 Leipzig, Germany. stat@medizin.uni-leipzig.de
Mohr
Christopher
C
Kacza
Johannes
J
Reimers
Christine
C
Pannicke
Thomas
T
Sauder
Christian
C
Reichenbach
Andreas
A
Seeger
Johannes
J
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D001890:Borna Disease / Q000276:immunology*; D001891:Borna disease virus / Q000276:immunology*; D018925:Chemokines / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D012160:Retina / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D012173:Retinitis / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology
D018925:Chemokines; D016207:Cytokines