West Nile virus infection of primary mouse neuronal and neuroglial cells: the role of astrocytes in chronic infection.
Primary cultures of embryonic murine neurons and newborn mouse astrocytes were inoculated with West Nile virus (WNV) strain NY385-99 to compare the pathogenesis of WNV infection in these types of CNS cells. Two different outcomes were observed. WNV infection in the neurons was rapidly progressive and destructive; within 5 days, all of the neurons were destroyed through apoptosis. WNV infection in the astrocytes evolved more slowly and did not seem to be highly lethal to the cells. The infected astrocytes continued to produce infectious virus (10(4.6)-10(6.5) PFU/mL) for 114 days, in a permissive, persistent infection. During this period, WNV antigen could be shown in the cytoplasm of the infected astrocytes by immunocytochemical assay, transmission electron microscopy of ultrathin sections, and in the cell culture medium by complement fixation test. Our results with this in vitro experimental murine cell model indicate that astrocytes can develop chronic or persistent infection with WNV, suggesting that these cells may play a role in the maintenance of WNV in the CNS.
Diniz
Jose A P
JA
Departamento de Arbovirologia e Febres Hemorrágicas, Instituto Evandro Chagas, Ministério de Saúde, Belem, Pará, Brazil.
Da Rosa
Amelia P A Travassos
AP
Guzman
Hilda
H
Xu
Fangling
F
Xiao
Shu-Yuan
SY
Popov
Vsevolod L
VL
Vasconcelos
Pedro F C
PF
Tesh
Robert B
RB
D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D017209:Apoptosis; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure / Q000821:virology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003168:Complement Fixation Tests; D003588:Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009474:Neurons / Q000648:ultrastructure / Q000821:virology*; D014779:Virus Replication; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure
D000956:Antigens, Viral