Lung infection with gamma-herpesvirus induces progressive pulmonary fibrosis in Th2-biased mice.
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive, fibrotic lung disease of unknown etiology. A viral pathogenesis in IPF has been suggested since >95% of IPF patients have evidence of chronic pulmonary infection with one or more herpesviruses. To determine whether pulmonary infection with herpesvirus can cause lung fibrosis, we infected mice with the murine gamma-herpesvirus 68 (MHV68). Because IPF patients have a T helper type 2 (Th2) pulmonary phenotype, we used IFN-gammaR-/-, a strain of mice biased to develop Th2 responses. Chronic MHV68 infection of IFN-gammaR-/- mice resulted in progressive deposition of interstitial collagen as shown by light and electron microscopy. A significant decrease in tidal volume paralleled the collagen deposition. Five features typically seen in IPF, increased transforming growth factor-beta expression, myofibroblast transformation, production of Th2 cytokines, hyperplasia of type II cells, and increased expression of matrix metalloproteinase-7, were also present in chronically infected IFN-gammaR-/- mice. There also was altered synthesis of surfactant proteins, which is seen in some patients with familial IPF. MHV68 viral protein was found in type II alveolar epithelial cells, especially in lung areas with extensive alveolar remodeling. In summary, chronic herpesvirus pulmonary infection in IFN-gammaR-/- mice causes progressive pulmonary fibrosis and many of the pathological features seen in IPF.
Mora
Ana L
AL
Center for Translational Research of the Lung, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care, Dept. of Medicine, Emory Univ., Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. amora@emory.edu
Woods
Charles R
CR
Garcia
Anapatricia
A
Xu
Jianguo
J
Rojas
Mauricio
M
Speck
Samuel H
SH
Roman
Jesse
J
Brigham
Kenneth L
KL
Stecenko
Arlene A
AA
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020783:Matrix Metalloproteinase 7 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D017471:Receptors, Interferon / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics; D018144:Rhadinovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D000096743:Interferon gamma Receptor
D003094:Collagen; D016207:Cytokines; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004279:DNA, Viral; D015847:Interleukin-4; D020783:Matrix Metalloproteinase 7; D017471:Receptors, Interferon; D000096743:Interferon gamma Receptor