Altered central nervous system gene expression caused by congenitally acquired persistent infection with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus.

ABSTRACT: Neonatal infection of most mouse strains with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) leads to a life-long persistent infection characterized by high virus loads in the central nervous system (CNS) in the absence of inflammation and tissue destruction. These mice, however, exhibit impaired learning and memory. The occurrence of cognitive defects in the absence of overt CNS pathology led us to the hypothesis that chronic virus infection may contribute to neuronal dysfunction by altering the host's gene expression profile. To test this hypothesis, we examined the impact of LCMV persistence on host gene expression in the CNS. To model the natural route of human congenital CNS infection observed with a variety of viruses, we established a persistently infected mouse colony where the virus wa

SUBMITTER: Kunz S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1563940 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature