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Association of simian virus 40 with a central nervous system lesion distinct from progressive multifocal

M A Simon1, P O Ilyinskii, G B Baskin

  • 1Division of Comparative Pathology, New England Regional Primate Research Center, Harvard Medical School, Southborough, Massachusetts 01772-9102, USA. meredith_simon@hms.harvard.edu

The American Journal of Pathology
|February 23, 1999
PubMed

Insights

Simian virus 40 (SV40) causes a distinct meningoencephalitis in the central nervous system, separate from progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). This new finding reveals another primary manifestation of SV40 infection in primates.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Neuropathology
  • Primate Immunology

Background:

  • Simian virus 40 (SV40) is a primate polyomavirus.
  • SV40 is known to cause interstitial nephritis and, upon reactivation, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) in SIV-infected macaques.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe a novel central nervous system manifestation of SV40 infection.
  • To differentiate this new condition from SV40-induced PML.

Main Methods:

  • In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry were used to detect SV40 in infected tissues.
  • SV40 nucleic acid sequences were analyzed from the ori-enhancer and large-T-antigen regions.

Main Results:

  • A distinct meningoencephalitis affecting cerebral gray matter, without demyelination, was identified as a second central nervous system manifestation of SV40.
  • This meningoencephalitis appears to be a primary infection, potentially co-occurring with interstitial nephritis and pneumonitis.
  • Both oligodendrocytes and astrocytes were infected in both PML and meningoencephalitis lesions, indicating no difference in cellular tropism.
  • SV40 sequences showed no tissue- or lesion-specific variations.

Conclusions:

  • SV40 can cause meningoencephalitis as a primary manifestation, distinct from PML.
  • The pathogenesis of SV40-induced neurological disease does not appear to be related to variations in viral sequences or cellular tropism.

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