Borna disease virus in mice: host-specific differences in disease expression

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Immunology
• Neurology

Background:

• Borna disease virus (BDV) is a non-segmented negative-strand RNA virus that causes a chronic, progressive neurological disease in various animal species.
• Understanding the immunopathogenesis of Borna disease is crucial for developing effective therapeutic strategies.
• A well-characterized animal model is essential for studying BDV infection and host immune responses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a reproducible mouse model of Borna disease for immunopathogenesis research.
• To adapt the Borna disease virus (BDV) to laboratory mice through serial brain passage.
• To investigate viral replication, host immune responses, and disease manifestation in different mouse strains.

Main Methods:

• Adaptation of Borna disease virus (BDV) to mice via serial intracerebral passage in brain tissue.
• Inoculation of different mouse strains with the adapted BDV.
• Assessment of viral replication, antibody production, inflammatory responses (e.g., cytokine analysis, glial cell activation), and clinical signs of Borna disease.

Main Results:

• Successful adaptation of Borna disease virus (BDV) to mice, enabling consistent viral replication.
• Demonstration of varying susceptibility and disease progression among different mouse strains.
• Evidence of immune responses, including antibody production and neuroinflammation, correlated with viral load and disease severity.

Conclusions:

• The developed mouse model provides a valuable platform for studying Borna disease immunopathogenesis.
• This model facilitates research into the complex interplay between Borna disease virus (BDV) and the host immune system.
• Further studies using this model can elucidate mechanisms of viral persistence, neuroinflammation, and disease progression.