title: Visualizing viral dissemination in the mouse nervous system, using a green fluorescent protein-expressing Borna disease virus vector.
abstract: Borna disease virus (BDV) frequently persists in the brain of infected animals. To analyze viral dissemination in the mouse nervous system, we generated a mouse-adapted virus that expresses green fluorescent protein (GFP). This viral vector supported GFP expression for up to 150 days and possessed an extraordinary staining capacity, visualizing complete dendritic arbors as well as individual axonal fibers of infected neurons. GFP-positive cells were first detected in cortical areas from where the virus disseminated through the entire central nervous system (CNS). Late in infection, GFP expression was found in the sciatic nerve, demonstrating viral spread from the central to the peripheral nervous system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, University of Freiburg, Hermann-Herder-Strasse 11, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ackermann
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Guelzow
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Staeheli
authors.forename: Urs
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Heimrich
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001890:Borna Disease / Q000821:virology*; D001891:Borna disease virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D009420:Nervous System / Q000821:virology*; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins