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Influence of sex on susceptibility in the Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus model for multiple sclerosis
C A Kappel1, R W Melvold, B S Kim
1Department of Microbiology-Immunology, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL 60611.
Abstract:
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease in humans which affects females more frequently than males. Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) induces demyelination similar to human MS in susceptible strains of mice after intracerebral inoculation. In this paper we report that sex influences susceptibility to TMEV-induced demyelination in certain genotypes derived from C57L/J and SJL/J or SWR/J mice. This is the first report of an animal model for MS that shows an association between sex and susceptibility, and this information may facilitate the investigation of human MS.
Insights
Sex influences susceptibility to Theiler
Area of Science:
- Neuroimmunology
- Demyelinating diseases
- Animal models of human disease
Background:
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a human demyelinating disease predominantly affecting females.
- Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) infection in mice serves as a model for MS.
- Previous studies have not extensively explored sex as a factor in TMEV-induced demyelination.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of sex on susceptibility to TMEV-induced demyelination in mice.
- To establish a sex-influenced animal model for studying human multiple sclerosis.
Main Methods:
- Intracerebral inoculation of susceptible mouse strains (C57L/J, SJL/J, SWR/J) with TMEV.
- Assessment of demyelination and disease susceptibility across different sexes and genotypes.
Main Results:
- Sex was found to influence susceptibility to TMEV-induced demyelination in specific mouse genotypes.
- This study reports the first animal model for MS demonstrating a link between sex and disease susceptibility.
Conclusions:
- The identified sex-influenced TMEV-induced demyelination model provides a new tool for MS research.
- Investigating sex-based differences in this model may offer insights into the etiology of human MS.