title: Comparative analyses of influenza virus receptor distribution in the human and mouse brains.
abstract: Accumulating evidence suggests a potential link between influenza A virus infection and the occurrence of influenza-associated neurological disorders. As influenza infection is mediated by specific receptors on the host cell surface, it is important to understand the distribution patterns of influenza receptors in target organs. We carried out comprehensive experiments to localize influenza receptors in the brains of two different mouse strains and the human brain for comparison using lectin histochemistry. We further compared the brain regions in which influenza receptors were expressed and the regions in which experimental influenza infection was observed. Our results show that the expression patterns for influenza receptors in mouse and human brains are different. In the mouse brain, human influenza virus receptors (HuIV-R) were expressed in part of brainstem and cerebellar white matter while avian influenza virus receptors (AIV-R) were expressed in the cerebellar Purkinje neurons. In contrast, in the human brain, many neurons and glia in widespread regions, including the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, brainstem, and cerebellum, express both AIV-R and HuIV-R. Importantly, vascular endothelial cells, choroid plexus epithelial cells and ependymal cells in both mouse and human brains express high levels of HuIV-R and AIV-R. The regional reciprocity was not observed when comparing regions with influenza receptor expression and the regions of influenza infection within the mouse brain. Our results demonstrate a differential influenza receptor expression pattern in mouse and human brains, and a disparity between influenza receptor distribution and regions with actual influenza infection.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Veterinary Anatomy, College of Veterinary Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul 143-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Minsoo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ji Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Jong-Hwan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Byung-Joon
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Chang-Seon
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Beobyi
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Doo Jin
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Paik
authors.forename: Sang-Soep
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Nahm
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008875:Middle Aged; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000502:physiology; D011991:Receptors, Virus / Q000378:metabolism*; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D011991:Receptors, Virus
keywords: AIV-R; Brain; Endothelial cells; HuIV-R; Influenza A virus receptor; Lectin histochemistry; SA; avian influenza A virus receptor; gal; galactose; human influenza A virus receptor; sialic acid