Mouse strain-specific central nervous system lesions associated with lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus infection

The histopathologic and virologic features of several mouse strains inoculated with the C strain of lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus are described. Young C58 and AKR mice were found to develop histologic poliomyelitis when injected with cyclophosphamide prior to peripheral inoculation of lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus. None of the C58 mice developed serious hindlimb paralysis, but some of the AKR mice did. Chronic poliomyelitis persisted for many weeks after infection in some C58 mice, but a spongioform poliomyopathy of the anterior horn was found in others. In contrast, inoculation of young C57BR/cd mice with lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus produced inflammatory lesions restricted to central nervous system white matter that could be detected many weeks after infection. The most frequent findings were moderate leptomeningitis and myelitis localized to the white matter, however, radiculitis was also occasionally observed. Severe necrosis of spinal cord white matter was seen rarely. Development of lesions in C57BR/cd mice did not require immunosuppression prior to peripheral inoculation with virus and was not age related, sex linked, or exclusively controlled by the H-2 histocompatibility locus. Lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus-infected C57L, C57BL/6, and RF mice did not develop poliomyelitis; however, C57L and C57BL/6 mice displayed a low incidence of mild encephalomyelitis. Poliomyelitis-susceptible C58 mice had the highest levels of viral infectivity in plasma and central nervous system tissues. White matter disease-susceptible C57BR/cd mice had viral titers in plasma and central nervous system tissues comparable to poliomyelitis-resistant C57L, C57BL/6, and RF mice. These studies demonstrate that different strains of mice have differing susceptibilities to the development of central nervous system inflammatory diseases.