Mutant murine hepatitis virus-induced apoptosis in the hippocampus.
The mutant virus Mu-3 was isolated from the soluble receptor-resistant mutant 7 virus (srr7), which is a neuropathogenic strain of the mouse hepatitis virus JHMV, and cloned as a soluble receptor-resistant mutant from the highly neuropathogenic JHMV strain cl-2 virus (cl-2). In order to identify specific characteristics of Mu-3, the pathology of Mu-3-infected mice was compared with that of srr7- and cl-2-infected mice. The neuropathology after Mu-3 infection exhibited a mixed pattern comparable to that induced by srr7 and cl-2 infections. In addition, Mu-3 infection caused marked apoptotic lesions in the hippocampal region, particularly in the CA2 and CA3 subregions, in the brains of all infected mice. In contrast, in cl-2 infection, 10-20% of the infected mice exhibited apoptosis in the hippocampus, which was primarily observed in the CA1 subregion. Apoptosis also occurred in the pyramidal neurons and CD11b-bearing cells. The apoptotic cells, indicated by caspase 3-activation, were a mixed population of infected and a higher number of uninfected cells. These data indicated that apoptosis observed in Mu-3 infection could be induced by the indirect effects of infection in addition to direct effects of the infected cells occurring in a cell-autonomous manner.
Department of Bioinformatics, Faculty of Engineering, Soka University.
Masatoshi
M
Kakizaki
Hiromi
H
Kashiwazaki
Rihito
R
Watanabe
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D018352:Coronavirus Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D006524:Hepatitis, Viral, Animal / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D006517:Murine hepatitis virus / Q000235:genetics*; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology