Transgenic mice and the pathogenesis of poliomyelitis

Transgenic mice expressing the cell receptor for poliovirus have been generated and are susceptible to poliovirus infection. TgPVR mice have been used to answer questions about the pathogenesis of poliovirus infection. Despite the widespread pattern of PVR expression, poliovirus infection in TgPVR mice is restricted to only a few sites, indicating that poliovirus tropism is not controlled solely by the ability of cells to bind virus. After intramuscular inoculation, poliovirus travels to the spinal cord by axonal transport. This route of entry into the central nervous system may play a role in the pathogenesis of poliovirus infections in humans.