title: Successful transmission of a retrovirus depends on the commensal microbiota.
abstract: To establish chronic infections, viruses must develop strategies to evade the host's immune responses. Many retroviruses, including mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV), are transmitted most efficiently through mucosal surfaces rich in microbiota. We found that MMTV, when ingested by newborn mice, stimulates a state of unresponsiveness toward viral antigens. This process required the intestinal microbiota, as antibiotic-treated mice or germ-free mice did not transmit infectious virus to their offspring. MMTV-bound bacterial lipopolysaccharide triggered Toll-like receptor 4 and subsequent interleukin-6 (IL-6)-dependent induction of the inhibitory cytokine IL-10. Thus, MMTV has evolved to rely on the interaction with the microbiota to induce an immune evasion pathway. Together, these findings reveal the fundamental importance of commensal microbiota in viral infections.
authors: Department of Microbiology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
authors: Melissa
authors: M
authors: Kane
authors: Laure K
authors: LK
authors: Case
authors: Karyl
authors: K
authors: Kopaskie
authors: Alena
authors: A
authors: Kozlova
authors: Cameron
authors: C
authors: MacDearmid
authors: Alexander V
authors: AV
authors: Chervonsky
authors: Tatyana V
authors: TV
authors: Golovkina
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; D005260:Female; D005856:Germ-Free Life; D057131:Immune Evasion; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000821:virology*; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008324:Mammary Tumor Virus, Mouse / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D054892:Metagenome; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000821:virology; D012192:Retroviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; C493487:Tlr4 protein, mouse; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; D016753:Interleukin-10