An enterovirus-induced murine model of an acute dilated-type cardiomyopathy

After coxsackievirus B3 (CB3) infection of mice, migration of transfused sensitized and nonsensitized 51Cr-labelled T lymphocytes was followed. At autopsies on days 5.5, 6, 7, and 9 after infection, T-cell-dependent in situ calcification was assessed by cardiac xeroradiographs. In CB3-infected animals from group 2 that were not forced to swim (Gr. 2, Inf +, Ex -), significant rerouting of sensitized 51Cr-labelled T cells to the heart occurred beginning on the 9th day after infection. This was accompanied by myocardial calcification. When mice with CB3 myocarditis were forced to swim (Gr. 3, Inf +), 4 times the density of sensitized 51Cr-labelled T cells was redirected to the heart. At xeroradiography, severe myocardial calcification was shown to accompany cardiac dilatation.