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A Murine Model of Dengue Virus-induced Acute Viral Encephalitis-like Disease
Published on: April 28, 2019
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Murine diabetic models for dengue virus infection
Xuling Liu1, Yingfang Liu1, Hao Wu1
1BSL-3 Laboratory (Guangdong), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
Journal of Medical Virology
|August 24, 2022
Summary
Diabetic mice exhibit increased susceptibility to Dengue virus (DENV) infection, showing robust viremia and heightened inflammatory responses. These findings establish diabetic mouse models for studying DENV pathogenesis and developing antiviral treatments.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Immunology
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Dengue virus (DENV) poses a significant global health threat, necessitating effective immunocompetent animal models for research.
- Diabetes is a common comorbidity with dengue fever, impacting disease progression and requiring specific models for study.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish and characterize immunocompetent diabetic mouse models for Dengue virus type 3 (DENV-3) infection.
- To investigate the impact of diabetes on DENV pathogenesis, viremia, and host immune response.
Main Methods:
- Diabetic (C57BL/6 and db/db) and nondiabetic mice were inoculated with DENV-3 via tail vein injection.
- Quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to assess viremia.
- Immunohistochemistry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were employed to detect viral persistence and cytokine levels, respectively.
Main Results:
- Diabetic mice exhibited significant weight loss and clinical signs of illness post-DENV-3 infection.
- Robust and reproducible viremia was observed in both diabetic mouse models.
- Diabetic mice displayed more severe inflammatory responses and histological alterations compared to nondiabetic controls, indicating increased susceptibility.
Conclusions:
- Two immunocompetent diabetic mouse models (acquired and inherent diabetes) are suitable for DENV infection studies.
- These models can be utilized to explore dengue pathogenesis in diabetic individuals and to develop novel antiviral therapies.
