title: JC virus induces nonapoptotic cell death of human central nervous system progenitor cell-derived astrocytes.
abstract: JC virus (JCV), a human neurotropic polyomavirus, demonstrates a selective glial cell tropism that causes cell death through lytic infection. Whether these cells die via apoptosis or necrosis following infection with JCV remains unclear. To investigate the mechanism of virus-induced cell death, we used a human central nervous system progenitor-derived astrocyte cell culture model developed in our laboratory. Using in situ DNA hybridization, immunocytochemistry, electron microscopy, and an RNase protection assay, we observed that astrocytes support a progressive JCV infection, which eventually leads to nonapoptotic cell death. Infected astrocyte cell cultures showed no difference from noninfected cells in mRNA expression of the caspase family genes or in any ultrastructural features associated with apoptosis. Infected cells demonstrated striking necrotic features such as cytoplasmic vacuolization, watery cytoplasm, and dissolution of organelles. Furthermore, staining for caspase-3 and terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling were not detected in infected astrocyte cultures. Our findings suggest that JCV-induced cell death of these progenitor cell-derived astrocytes does not utilize an apoptosis pathway but exhibits a pattern of cell destruction consistent with necrotic cell death.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Neuroscience, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
authors.forename: Pankaj
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Seth
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Diaz
authors.forename: Jung-Hwa
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Tao-Cheng
authors.forename: Eugene O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Major
mesh_terms: D001253:Astrocytes / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*; D016923:Cell Death; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D007577:JC Virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009336:Necrosis; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014771:Virion / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D015678:Viral Structural Proteins