scholarly journals Expression of the Mouse Hepatitis Virus Receptor by Central Nervous System Microglia

2004 ◽  
Vol 78 (14) ◽  
pp. 7828-7832 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chandran Ramakrishna ◽  
Cornelia C. Bergmann ◽  
Kathryn V. Holmes ◽  
Stephen A. Stohlman

ABSTRACT Detection of the mouse hepatitis virus receptor within the central nervous system (CNS) has been elusive. Receptor expression on microglia was reduced during acute infection and restored following immune-mediated virus control. Receptor down regulation was independent of neutrophils, NK cells, gamma interferon, or perforin. Infection of mice devoid of distinct inflammatory cells revealed CD4+ T cells as the major cell type influencing receptor expression by microglia. In addition to demonstrating receptor expression on CNS resident cells, these data suggest that transient receptor down regulation on microglia aids in establishing persistence in the CNS by assisting virus infection of other glial cell types.

2017 ◽  
Vol 91 (22) ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Lori Wheeler ◽  
Jeremiah Athmer ◽  
David K. Meyerholz ◽  
Stanley Perlman

ABSTRACT Viral infection of the central nervous system (CNS) is complicated by the mostly irreplaceable nature of neurons, as the loss of neurons has the potential to result in permanent damage to brain function. However, whether neurons or other cells in the CNS sometimes survive infection and the effects of infection on neuronal function is largely unknown. To address this question, we used the rJHM strain (rJ) of mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), a neurotropic coronavirus that causes acute encephalitis in susceptible strains of mice. To determine whether neurons or other CNS cells survive acute infection with this virulent virus, we developed a recombinant JHMV that expresses Cre recombinase (rJ-Cre) and infected mice that universally expressed a silent (floxed) version of tdTomato. Infection of these mice with rJ-Cre resulted in expression of tdTomato in host cells. The results showed that some cells were able to survive the infection, as demonstrated by continued tdTomato expression after virus antigen could no longer be detected. Most notably, interneurons in the olfactory bulb, which are known to be inhibitory, represented a large fraction of the surviving cells. In conclusion, our results indicated that some neurons are resistant to virus-mediated cell death and provide a framework for studying the effects of prior coronavirus infection on neuron function. IMPORTANCE We developed a novel recombinant virus that allows the study of cells that survive an infection by a central nervous system-specific strain of murine coronavirus. Using this virus, we identified neurons and, to a lesser extent, nonneuronal cells in the brain that were infected during the acute phase of the infection and survived for approximately 2 weeks until the mice succumbed to the infection. We focused on neurons and glial cells within the olfactory bulb because the virus enters the brain at this site. Our results show that interneurons of the olfactory bulb were the primary cell type able to survive infection. Further, these results indicate that this system will be useful for functional and gene expression studies of cells in the brain that survive acute infection.


2020 ◽  
Vol 94 (20) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mihyun Hwang ◽  
Cornelia C. Bergmann

ABSTRACT Alpha/beta interferon (IFN-α/β) signaling through the IFN-α/β receptor (IFNAR) is essential to limit virus dissemination throughout the central nervous system (CNS) following many neurotropic virus infections. However, the distinct expression patterns of factors associated with the IFN-α/β pathway in different CNS resident cell populations implicate complex cooperative pathways in IFN-α/β induction and responsiveness. Here we show that mice devoid of IFNAR1 signaling in calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II alpha (CaMKIIα) expressing neurons (CaMKIIcre:IFNARfl/fl mice) infected with a mildly pathogenic neurotropic coronavirus (mouse hepatitis virus A59 strain [MHV-A59]) developed severe encephalomyelitis with hind-limb paralysis and succumbed within 7 days. Increased virus spread in CaMKIIcre:IFNARfl/fl mice compared to IFNARfl/fl mice affected neurons not only in the forebrain but also in the mid-hind brain and spinal cords but excluded the cerebellum. Infection was also increased in glia. The lack of viral control in CaMKIIcre:IFNARfl/fl relative to control mice coincided with sustained Cxcl1 and Ccl2 mRNAs but a decrease in mRNA levels of IFNα/β pathway genes as well as Il6, Tnf, and Il1β between days 4 and 6 postinfection (p.i.). T cell accumulation and IFN-γ production, an essential component of virus control, were not altered. However, IFN-γ responsiveness was impaired in microglia/macrophages irrespective of similar pSTAT1 nuclear translocation as in infected controls. The results reveal how perturbation of IFN-α/β signaling in neurons can worsen disease course and disrupt complex interactions between the IFN-α/β and IFN-γ pathways in achieving optimal antiviral responses. IMPORTANCE IFN-α/β induction limits CNS viral spread by establishing an antiviral state, but also promotes blood brain barrier integrity, adaptive immunity, and activation of microglia/macrophages. However, the extent to which glial or neuronal signaling contributes to these diverse IFN-α/β functions is poorly understood. Using a neurotropic mouse hepatitis virus encephalomyelitis model, this study demonstrated an essential role of IFN-α/β receptor 1 (IFNAR1) specifically in neurons to control virus spread, regulate IFN-γ signaling, and prevent acute mortality. The results support the notion that effective neuronal IFNAR1 signaling compensates for their low basal expression of genes in the IFN-α/β pathway compared to glia. The data further highlight the importance of tightly regulated communication between the IFN-α/β and IFN-γ signaling pathways to optimize antiviral IFN-γ activity.


2007 ◽  
Vol 82 (5) ◽  
pp. 2130-2139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen A. Stohlman ◽  
David R. Hinton ◽  
Beatriz Parra ◽  
Roscoe Atkinson ◽  
Cornelia C. Bergmann

ABSTRACT Replication of the neurotropic mouse hepatitis virus strain JHM (JHMV) is controlled primarily by CD8+ T-cell effectors utilizing gamma interferon (IFN-γ) and perforin-mediated cytotoxicity. CD4+ T cells provide an auxiliary function(s) for CD8+ T-cell survival; however, their direct contribution to control of virus replication and pathology is unclear. To examine a direct role of CD4+ T cells in viral clearance and pathology, pathogenesis was compared in mice deficient in both perforin and IFN-γ that were selectively reconstituted for these functions via transfer of virus-specific memory CD4+ T cells. CD4+ T cells from immunized wild-type, perforin-deficient, and IFN-γ-deficient donors all initially reduced virus replication. However, prolonged viral control by IFN-γ-competent donors suggested that IFN-γ is important for sustained virus control. Local release of IFN-γ was evident by up-regulation of class II molecules on microglia in recipients of IFN-γ producing CD4+ T cells. CD4+ T-cell-mediated antiviral activity correlated with diminished clinical symptoms, pathology, and demyelination. Both wild-type donor CD90.1 and recipient CD90.2 CD4+ T cells trafficked into the central nervous system (CNS) parenchyma and localized to infected white matter, correlating with decreased numbers of virus-infected oligodendrocytes in the CNS. These data support a direct, if limited, antiviral role for CD4+ T cells early during acute JHMV encephalomyelitis. Although the antiviral effector mechanism is initially independent of IFN-γ secretion, sustained control of CNS virus replication by CD4+ T cells requires IFN-γ.


2010 ◽  
Vol 84 (21) ◽  
pp. 11030-11044 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan J. Bender ◽  
Judith M. Phillips ◽  
Erin P. Scott ◽  
Susan R. Weiss

ABSTRACT Coronavirus infection of the murine central nervous system (CNS) provides a model for studies of viral encephalitis and demyelinating disease. Mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) neurotropism varies by strain: MHV-A59 causes mild encephalomyelitis and demyelination, while the highly neurovirulent strain JHM.SD (MHV-4) causes fatal encephalitis with extensive neuronal spread of virus. In addition, while neurons are the predominant CNS cell type infected in vivo, the canonical receptor for MHV, the carcinoembryonic antigen family member CEACAM1a, has been demonstrated only on endothelial cells and microglia. In order to investigate whether CEACAM1a is also expressed in other cell types, ceacam1a mRNA expression was quantified in murine tissues and primary cells. As expected, among CNS cell types, microglia expressed the highest levels of ceacam1a, but lower levels were also detected in oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, and neurons. Given the low levels of neuronal expression of ceacam1a, primary neurons from wild-type and ceacam1a knockout mice were inoculated with MHV to determine the extent to which CEACAM1a-independent infection might contribute to CNS infection. While both A59 and JHM.SD infected small numbers of ceacam1a knockout neurons, only JHM.SD spread efficiently to adjacent cells in the absence of CEACAM1a. Quantification of mRNA for the ceacam1a-related genes ceacam2 and psg16 (bCEA), which encode proposed alternative MHV receptors, revealed low ceacam2 expression in microglia and oligodendrocytes and psg16 expression exclusively in neurons; however, only CEACAM2 mediated infection in human 293T cells. Therefore, neither CEACAM2 nor PSG16 is likely to be an MHV receptor on neurons, and the mechanism for CEACAM1a-independent neuronal spread of JHM.SD remains unknown.


2003 ◽  
Vol 77 (4) ◽  
pp. 2775-2778 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norman W. Marten ◽  
Stephen A. Stohlman ◽  
Jiehao Zhou ◽  
Cornelia C. Bergmann

ABSTRACT CD8+ T cells control acute infection of the central nervous system (CNS) by neurotropic mouse hepatitis virus but do not suffice to achieve sterile immunity. To determine the lag between T-cell priming and optimal activity within the CNS, the accumulation of virus-specific CD8+ T cells in the CNS relative to that in peripheral lymphoid organs was assessed by using gamma interferon-specific ELISPOT assays and class I tetramer staining. Virus-specific CD8+ T cells were first detected in the cervical lymph nodes. Expansion in the spleen was delayed and less pronounced but also preceded accumulation in the CNS. The data further suggest peripheral acquisition of cytolytic function, thus enhancing CD8+-T-cell effector function upon cognate antigen recognition in the CNS.


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