Myocarditis susceptibility in female mice depends upon ovarian cycle phase at infection.
Female BALB/c mice were infected with coxsackievirus B3 in the diestrus, proestrus, estrus, or metestrus phases of the ovarian cycle. Cycle stage was determined by vaginal smear. All mice were killed 7 days after infection. Females infected in the diestrus and especially the proestrus phases developed myocarditis. CD4+ T cells expressing interferon-gamma (IFNgamma) infiltrate the myocardium in these two phases, whereas CD4+ T cells expressing IL-4 are more frequent during estrus. Cardiac virus titers were determined 15 h and 7 days after infection. No differences in virus titer were seen at 7 days. These studies show that natural hormone variations can have substantial effects on viral pathogenicity presumably due to hormone effects on the immune system.
Schwartz
J
J
Department of Pathology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA.
Sartini
D
D
Huber
S
S
D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D003384:Coxsackievirus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D004971:Estrus / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000821:virology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000032:analysis; D008686:Metestrus; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000821:virology*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
D007371:Interferon-gamma