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Murine cytomegalovirus-associated arteritis
C A Dangler1, S E Baker, M Kariuki Njenga
1Department of Veterinary Science, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, USA.
Abstract:
Unique inflammatory lesions affecting the ascending aorta and pulmonary artery of BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice infected with murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) were identified in a pilot and two subsequent experiments to characterize the potential effect of MCMV infection on diet-induced atherosclerotic lesions. Suckling BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice were inoculated with MCMV and subsequently fed either a commercial mouse diet or a synthetic atherogenic diet from weaning. The three experiments varied with respect to the age of the mice at the time of MCMV inoculation and the dose of virus given. The conditions of MCMV exposure were progressively modified in the three experiments to increase the prevalence of MCMV-associated inflammatory lesions in the pulmonary artery and aorta. In the final experiment, in which suckling mice were inoculated at 9 days of age, MCMV-associated arteritic lesions had an observed prevalence at 8 weeks post-inoculation of 87.5% (7/8) in BALB/c mice on the normal diet and 100% (8/8) in C57BL/6 mice on the normal diet and in both strains on the atherogenic diet. The inflammatory lesions in both vessels were characterized by mononuclear cell infiltrates containing CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ lymphocytes. The cellular infiltrates were often more intense on the adventitial surface and infiltrated into the overlying tunica media. The intima was infiltrated by mononuclear cell infiltrates that appeared to contain more macrophages and fewer lymphocytes than did the adventitial infiltrates.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Insights
Murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infection in mice causes inflammatory lesions in the aorta and pulmonary artery. These lesions were observed in both normal and high-fat diet-fed mice, suggesting MCMV impacts vascular health.
Area of Science:
- Vascular Biology
- Immunology
- Virology
Background:
- Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of arteries.
- Murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) is a common viral infection with potential systemic effects.
- The impact of MCMV on diet-induced atherosclerosis is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of MCMV infection on the development of diet-induced atherosclerotic lesions in mice.
- To characterize MCMV-associated inflammatory lesions in the aorta and pulmonary artery.
Main Methods:
- Suckling BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice were inoculated with MCMV.
- Mice were fed either a normal or an atherogenic diet from weaning.
- Inflammatory lesions were analyzed for prevalence and cellular composition (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ lymphocytes, macrophages).
Main Results:
- MCMV infection induced unique inflammatory lesions in the ascending aorta and pulmonary artery.
- Lesion prevalence was high (87.5-100%) in MCMV-infected mice regardless of diet or strain.
- Lesions were characterized by mononuclear cell infiltrates, including lymphocytes and macrophages, particularly in adventitia and media.
Conclusions:
- MCMV infection can induce significant arteritis in mice.
- The observed vascular inflammation occurs independently of diet-induced atherosclerosis.
- MCMV may play a role in vascular inflammation and disease progression.