Murine cytomegalovirus displays selective infection of cells within hours after systemic administration.

ABSTRACT: A distinctive feature of the cytomegaloviruses is their wide tissue tropism, demonstrated by the infection of many organs and cell types in an active infection. However, in experimental models of systemic infection, the earliest stages of infection are not well characterized, and it is unclear whether only certain cells are initially infected. Using a recombinant murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP), we tracked viral infection after systemic administration via intraperitoneal injection and showed that specific cells are infected within the first hours. We provide evidence that MCMV traffics as free virus from the peritoneal cavity into the mediastinal lymphatics, providing access to the bloodstream. We demonstrate that MCMV productively infected CD169(+)

SUBMITTER: Hsu KM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2762738 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature