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Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus subgroup strain-specific infection in a murine macrophage-like cell line

M Obuchi1, Y Ohara, T Takegami

  • 1Department of Microbiology, Kanazawa Medical University, Uchinada, Ishikawa, Japan.

Journal of Virology
|January 1, 1997
PubMed

Insights

Theiler

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Immunology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) causes neurological diseases in mice.
  • Two TMEV subgroups, GDVII (highly virulent) and DA (less virulent, persistent), exhibit different pathogenicities.
  • Understanding viral interactions with host cells, like macrophages, is crucial for explaining disease mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the in vitro infection of a murine macrophage cell line (J774-1) with TMEV GDVII and DA strains.
  • To elucidate how these viral strains differentially affect macrophage protein synthesis and replication.
  • To correlate in vitro findings with observed in vivo virulence and disease outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Infection of J774-1 cells with TMEV GDVII and DA strains.
  • Assessment of viral replication.
  • Measurement of cellular protein synthesis inhibition.

Main Results:

  • GDVII strain did not actively replicate in J774-1 cells but significantly inhibited cellular protein synthesis.
  • DA strain productively infected J774-1 cells, with less virus production than in BHK-21 cells and minimal protein synthesis shutoff.
  • Differential cellular responses to GDVII and DA strains were observed in macrophages.

Conclusions:

  • In vitro infection of J774-1 macrophages by TMEV strains correlates with their known in vivo virulence.
  • GDVII's high virulence may be linked to its ability to shut down host cell protein synthesis.
  • DA's persistent infection and demyelination potential might relate to its less disruptive interaction with macrophages.

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