title: Restraint stress decreases virus-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNA expression during acute Theiler's virus infection.
abstract: Stressful life events have been associated with the onset and/or exacerbation of multiple sclerosis (MS). Our previous studies have indicated that restraint stress (RS) reduces inflammation and virus-induced chemokine expression in the Theiler's virus-induced demyelination (TVID) model of MS. Here we report that RS significantly reduced the virus-induced interferon-gamma mRNA levels in the brain. Additionally, mRNA levels of lymphotoxin-beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interferon-gamma in the brain were negatively correlated with viral titers in the brain. These results indicated an immunosuppressive effect of stress during early TVID causing impaired viral clearance, which may be a potential exacerbating factor for later demyelination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mi
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Prentice
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Sieve
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Meagher
authors.forename: C J R
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Welsh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001921:Brain / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D018188:Cardiovirus Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012149:Restraint, Physical; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000276:immunology*; D017945:Theilovirus / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D012333:RNA, Messenger