title: Characterization of clinical and immune response in a rotavirus diarrhea model in suckling Lewis rats.
abstract: Group A rotaviruses (RVs) are the leading pathogens causing diarrhea in children and animals. The present study was designed to establish an experimental model of RV infection and immune response in suckling rats. Wistar (W) and Lewis (L) suckling rats were inoculated orally with two different doses of a simian RV SA-11 strain. RV infection was evaluated by growth rate and clinical indexes. Virus-shedding and serum anti-RV antibodies were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Mucosal interferon-gamma (IFN gamma), specific splenocyte proliferation, and spleen and intestinal intraepithelial lymphocyte (IEL) phenotype were analyzed. No diarrhea was observed in any inoculated Ws. All Ls developed acute moderate diarrhea, and a high score and incidence of diarrhea were found in rats infected with higher titers of RV. Specific humoral and cell systemic immune response was confirmed by splenocyte proliferation and by the presence of serum anti-RV antibodies. Moreover, RV infection induced changes in IEL composition, which showed an increase in the proportion of innate immune cells with respect to cells involved in acquired immunity. This acute moderate diarrhea process constitutes a good experimental model that also provides some immune biomarkers that may allow establishing modulation by drugs or diet components.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, Spain E-08028 Barcelona. franciscoperez@ub.edu
authors.forename: Francisco J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Pérez-Cano
authors.forename: Margarida
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castell
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Castellote
authors.forename: Angels
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Franch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000833:Animals, Suckling; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D000917:Antibody Formation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000276:immunology*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013045:Species Specificity; D013997:Time Factors; D017201:Virus Shedding
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007371:Interferon-gamma