Spread of a neurotropic murine coronavirus into the CNS via the trigeminal and olfactory nerves

Spread of a neurotropic coronavirus to spinal cord white matter via neurons and astrocytes

Mouse hepatitis virus strain JHM (MHV-JHM) causes a chronic encephalomyelitis in susceptible mice, with histological evidence of demyelination in the spinal cord. After intranasal inoculation, virus spreads retrogradely to several brain structures along neuroanatomic projections to the main olfactory bulb. In the absence of experimental intervention, mice become moribund before the spinal cord is infected. In this study, infusions of anti-MHV neutralizing monoclonal antibodies were administered to protect mice from the MHV-JHM-induced acute encephalitis and to allow survival until virus spread to the spinal cord. Under these conditions, virus was observed to enter specific layers (primarily laminae V to VII) in the gray matter of the upper spinal cord, consistent with transneuronal spread. While the brain structures which are the sources for virus spread to the spinal cord cannot be determined with certainty, the ventral reticular nucleus is likely to be important since it is consistently and extensively labeled in all mice and receives projections from subsequently infected areas of the spinal cord. After initial entry into the gray matter, virus rapidly spread to the white matter of the spinal cord. During the early stages of this process, extensive infection of astrocytes was noted, suggesting that cell-to-cell spread via these glial cells is an important part of this process. Reports from other laboratories using cultured cells strongly suggested that astrocytes serve as important regulators of oligodendrocyte function and, by extrapolation, have a major role in vivo in the processes of both demyelination and remyelination. Thus, our results not only outline the probable pathway used by MHV-JHM to infect the white matter of the spinal cord but also, with the assumption that infection of astrocytes leads to subsequent dysfunction, raise the possibility that infection of these cells contributes to the demyelinating process.

In vitro interaction of coronaviruses with primate and human brain microvascular endothelial cells

Primary human and primate brain microvascular endothelial cells were tested for permissiveness to coronaviruses JHM and 229E. While sub-genomic viral RNAs could be detected up to 72 hours post-infection, primate cells were abortively infected and neither virus caused cytopathology. Human cells were non-permissive for JHM but permissive for 229E replication; peak production of progeny 229E and observable cytopathic effects occurred approximately 22 and 32 hour post-infection, respectively. Using the criterion of cytopathology induction in infected endothelial cells, 229E was compared to other human RNA and DNA viruses. In addition, virus induced modulation of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) and HLA I was monitored by immunostaining of infected cells.

Distribution and trafficking of JHM coronavirus structural proteins and virions in primary neurons and the OBL-21 neuronal cell line

The neurotropic murine coronavirus JHM is capable of inducing various forms of neurologic diseases, including demyelination. Neurons have been shown to act as a repository site at the early stages of the disease process (O. Sorensen and S. Dales, J. Virol. 56:434-438, 1985). JHM virus (JHMV) replication and trafficking of viral proteins and virions in cultured rat hippocampal neurons and a neuronal cell line, OBL-21, were examined, with an emphasis placed on the role of the microtubular network. We show here that JHMV spread within the central nervous system occurs transneuronally and that virus protein trafficking was dependent upon microtubules. Viral trafficking occurred asymmetrically, involving both the somatodendritic and the axonal domains. Thus coronavirus can be disseminated from neurons at either the basolateral or the apical domains. A specific interaction between antibodies derived against the microtubule-associated protein tau and JHMV nucleocapsid protein (N) was observed, which can presumably be explained by an overall amino acid similarity of 44% and an identity of 20% between proteins N and tau, with optimal alignment at the microtubule binding domain of tau. Collectively, our data suggest an important role of the microtubule network in viral protein trafficking and distribution. They also draw attention to protein sequence mimicry of a cell component by this coronavirus as one strategy for making use of the host's functions on behalf of the virus.

Mouse hepatitis virus and herpes simplex virus move along different CNS pathways

The spread of mouse hepatitis virus, strain JHM and herpes simplex virus type 1 in the central nervous system after inoculation into the nares and main olfactory bulb has been examined. The results show that each virus infects a subset of the possible connections of the olfactory bulb and that the subset infected by each virus is different. Thus, both viruses will be useful for studying the neuroanatomic connections of the olfactory bulb, and possibly for functional analyses as well.

Two neurotropic viruses, herpes simplex virus type 1 and mouse hepatitis virus, spread along different neural pathways from the main olfactory bulb

Several neurotropic viruses enter the brain after peripheral inoculation and spread transneuronally along pathways known to be connected to the initial site of entry. In this study, the pathways utilized by two such viruses, herpes simplex virus type 1 and mouse hepatitis virus strain JHM, were compared using in situ hybridization following inoculation into either the nasal cavity or the main olfactory bulb of the mouse. The results indicate that both viruses spread to infect a unique and only partially overlapping set of connections of the main olfactory bulb. Both quantitative and qualitative differences were observed in the patterns of infection of known primary and secondary main olfactory bulb connections. Using immunohistochemistry for tyrosine hydroxylase combined with in situ hybridization, it was shown that only herpes simplex virus infected noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus. In contrast, both viruses infected dopaminergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area, although mouse hepatitis virus produced a more widespread infection in the A10 group, as well as infecting A8 and A9. The results suggest that differential virus uptake in specific neurotransmitter systems contributes to the pattern of viral spread, although other factors, such as differences in access to particular synapses on infected cells and differences in the distribution of the cellular receptor for the two viruses, are also likely to be important. The data show that neural tracing with different viruses may define unique neural pathways from a site of inoculation. The data also demonstrate that two viruses can enter the brain via the olfactory system and localize to different structures, suggesting that neurological diseases involving disparate regions of the brain could be caused by different viruses, even if entry occurred at a common site.

Immunohistochemical and behaviour pharmacological analysis of rats inoculated intranasally with vesicular stomatitis virus

A temperature-sensitive mutant of vesicular stomatitis virus was inoculated intranasally into infant Sprague-Dawley rats aged 9 to 17 days. Rats receiving the virus at 9 days of age had an extensive spread of infection throughout the brain and the animals died after a few days. Rats inoculated at day 11 postnatally survived and the infection was limited to the olfactory pathways, hypothalamus, diagonal bands and the anterior raphe nuclei. Stereological measurements showed that the volume of infected neurons constituted 67 +/- 10% of the total neuronal volume in the dorsal raphe nucleus. Double-labelling experiments revealed that both 5-hydroxytryptamine- and substance P-immunoreactive neurons contained the virus antigen. The motor stimulant effect of amphetamine was studied at 3 months post infection. The increase in amphetamine-induced frequency and duration of rearing was significantly attenuated in infected rats and the amphetamine-induced locomotion was slightly reduced.

Pathogenesis of virus-induced demyelination

Demyelination is a component of several viral diseases of humans. The best known of these are subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). There are a number of naturally occurring virus infections of animals that involve demyelination and many of these serve as instructive models for human demyelinating diseases. In addition to the naturally occurring diseases, many viruses have been shown to be capable of producing demyelination in experimental situations. In discussing virus-associated demyelinating disease, the chapter reviews the architecture and functional organization of the CNS and considers what is known of the interaction of viruses with CNS cells. It also discusses the immunology of the CNS that differs in several important aspects from that of the rest of the body. Experimental models of viral-induced demyelination have also been considered. Viruses capable of producing demyelinating disease have no common taxonomic features; they include both DNA and RNA viruses, enveloped and nonenveloped viruses. The chapter attempts to summarize the important factors influencing viral demyelination, their common features, and possible mechanisms.

Detection of coronavirus RNA and antigen in multiple sclerosis brain

Epidemiological studies of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and animal model data support the hypothesis that viruses initiate the immunopathogenic events leading to demyelination in MS. There have been no reports, however, of consistent detection of viruses in MS central nervous system tissue. We probed MS and control brain with cDNA probes specific for human, murine, porcine, and bovine coronaviruses. We report the in situ hybridization detection of coronavirus RNA in 12 of 22 MS brain samples using cloned coronavirus cDNA probes. In addition, tissue was screened for coronavirus antigen by immunohistochemical methods; antigen was detected in two patients with rapidly progressive MS. Significant amounts of coronavirus antigen and RNA were observed in active demyelinating plaques from these two patients. These findings show that coronaviruses can infect the human central nervous system and raise the possibility that these viruses may contribute to the pathogenesis of MS in some patients.

Coronavirus infects and causes demyelination in primate central nervous system

Two species of primates, Owl and African green monkeys, were inoculated intracerebrally with either the neurotropic mouse hepatitis virus JHM or the putative multiple sclerosis brain coronavirus isolate SD. These viruses caused an acute to subacute panencephalitis and/or demyelination in the infected animals. The course of pathogenesis and sites of detected viral RNA and antigen was dependent both on animal species and virus strain but the results clearly showed that these viruses replicated and disseminated in the central nervous system (CNS) of these primates. This study suggests that human CNS may be susceptible to coronavirus infection.

The V5A13.1 envelope glycoprotein deletion mutant of mouse hepatitis virus type-4 is neuroattenuated by its reduced rate of spread in the central nervous system

Following intracerebral inoculation of adult Balb/c Byj mice, the MHV-4 strain of mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) had an LD50 of less than 0.1 PFU, whereas its monoclonal antibody resistant variant V5A13.1 had an LD50 of 10(4.2) PFU. To determine the basis for this difference in neurovirulence we have studied the acute central nervous system (CNS) infection of these two viruses by in situ hybridization. Both viruses infected the same, specific neuroanatomical areas, predominantly neurons, and spread via the cerebrospinal fluid, along neuronal pathways and between adjacent cells. The neuronal nuclei infected and the spread of virus within the brain are described. The main difference between the parental and variant viruses was the rate at which the infection spread. MHV-4 spread rapidly, destroying large numbers of neurons and the animals died within 4 days of infection. The variant virus spread to the same areas of the brain but at a slower rate. This difference in the rate of virus spread was also apparent from the brain virus titers. The slower rate of spread of the variant virus appears to allow intervention by the immune response. Consistent with this, the variant virus spread slowly in athymic nu/nu mice, but in the absence of an intact immune response, infection and destruction of neurons eventually reached the same extent as that of the parental virus and the mice died within 6 days of infection. We conclude that the V5A13.1 variant of MHV-4 is neuroattenuated by its slower rate of spread in the CNS.

Immunohistochemical localization of components of the immune barrier in the olfactory mucosae of salamanders and rats

Immunohistochemical techniques were used to investigate the cellular distribution of components of the secretory immune system, including secretory immunoglobulin, secretory piece, and J chain, as well as other immunoglobulins and nonspecific defense factors in the olfactory mucosae of salamanders and rats. In the salamander, secretory immunoglobulin M, and J chain were localized in duct and acinar cells of Bowman's glands, in B lymphocytes, and in sustentacular cells in immature regions of the olfactory mucosa. Lactoferrin and lysozyme were also present in Bowman's glands, in sustentacular cells in immature regions of the olfactory mucosa, and in blood cells in the lamina propria. Olfactory nerve section resulted in the presence of increased numbers of secretory immunoglobulin-immunoreactive B lymphocytes and in an altered distribution of IgM, secretory piece, and lactoferrin. In the rat, secretory immunoglobulin A and J chain were localized in duct and acinar cells of Bowman's glands and in B lymphocytes in the lamina propria. Secretory piece could be demonstrated in Bowman's glands only in rats that had a prior viral infection. Other defense factors, localized in the lamina propria, included IgG in the connective tissue stroma and in B lymphocytes, IgD-immunoreactive B lymphocytes, and IgE-immunoreactive cells that were identified as mucosal mast cells. Lactoferrin and lysozyme were present in serous acinar cells of Bowman's glands and in blood cells. These results demonstrate that the olfactory mucosa is protected from pathogenic invasion by the secretory immune system as well as other immunoglobulins, lactoferrin, and lysozyme.

Spread of the CVS strain of rabies virus and of the avirulent mutant AvO1 along the olfactory pathways of the mouse after intranasal inoculation

After intranasal instillation in the mouse, rabies virus (CVS strain) selectively infected olfactory receptor cells. In the main olfactory bulb (MOB), infection was observed in periglomerular, tufted, and mitral cells and in interneurons located in the internal plexiform layer. Beyond the MOB, CVS spread into the brain along the olfactory pathways. This infection is specific to chains of functionally related neurons but at the death of the animal some nuclei remain uninfected. CVS also penetrated the trigeminal system. The avirulent mutant AvO1, carrying a mutation in position 333 of the glycoprotein, infected the olfactory epithelium and the trigeminal nerve as efficiently as CVS. During the second cycle of infection, the mutant was able to infect efficiently periglomerular cells in the MOB and neurons of the horizontal limb of the diagonal band, which indicates that maturation of infective particles is not affected in primarily infected neuronal cells. On the other hand, other neuronal cells permissive for CVS, such as mitral cells or the anterior olfactory nucleus, are completely free of infection with the mutant, indicating that restriction is related to the ability of AvO1 to penetrate several categories of neurons. From these observations, we concluded that CVS should be able to bind several different receptors to penetrate neurons, while the mutant would be unable to recognize some of them.

The immune system response to viral infection of the CNS

In immunological terms the CNS is at a severe disadvantage in its ability to respond to infection by virus. First, both glial and neuronal cells normally do not express molecules of the major histocompatibility complex. Second, the most efficient cells for stimulating an immune response (leucocyte dendritic cells) are not present in the healthy CNS; and third, there is no specialized lymphatic drainage from the CNS to lymph nodes to enable the immune system to be quickly informed of the presence of an infection. Nevertheless, the immune system apparently copes with the vast majority of viral infections in the CNS. This is clearly evidenced by the reactivation of latent CNS viral infections in some immunosuppressed patients and the dramatic increase in the seventy of CNS disease in young or otherwise immunologically incompetent experimental animals infected with neurotropic viruses. The routes by which the CNS and the immune system may communicate and the varied ways in which an immune response may affect the outcome of a viral infection of the CNS are discussed.

Effect of olfactory bulb ablation on spread of a neurotropic coronavirus into the mouse brain

Previous results suggested that, after intranasal inoculation, mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), a neurotropic coronavirus, entered the central nervous system (CNS) via the olfactory and trigeminal nerves. To prove this hypothesis, the effect of interruption of the olfactory pathway on spread of the virus was studied using in situ hybridization. Unilateral surgical ablation of this pathway prevented spread of the virus via the olfactory tract on the side of the lesion. MHV RNA could be detected, however, at distal sites on the operated side, indicating that the virus spread via well-described circuits involving the anterior commissure from the control (intact) side of the brain. Viral transport via the trigeminal nerve was not affected by removal of the olfactory bulb, showing that the surgical procedure was specific for the olfactory pathway. These results prove conclusively that MHV gains entry to the CNS via a transneuronal route, and spreads to additional sites in the brain via known neuroanatomic pathways.

Identification of a group of novel membrane proteins unique to chemosensory cilia of olfactory receptor cells

We have used a library of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against chemosensory cilia of the olfactory epithelium of Rana catesbeiana to identify proteins that are unique to the ciliary membrane. Five different antibodies (mAb 8, 26, 34, 42/45, and 43) identify novel proteins in olfactory cilia that are not detected in olfactory nerve membranes, nonchemosensory cilia from respiratory epithelium, or membranes from brain, heart, liver, kidney, and lung. Deglycosylation of olfactory cilia with endoglycosidase H shows that most of these antibodies (mAb 8, 42/45, 43, and possibly 26) react with antigenic determinants comprised partially or entirely of carbohydrate, while only one (mAb 34) recognizes an 87-kDa protein that is resistant to endoglycosidase H treatment. Furthermore, a 59-kDa glycoprotein visualized by mAb 8 exists as membrane-associated oligomers connected via intermolecular disulfide bonds. These proteins, tagged with distinct high-mannose-containing carbohydrate moieties and found only in chemosensory cilia of olfactory receptor cells, may be involved in odorant recognition and/or olfactory transduction.

Identification of the spinal cord as a major site of persistence during chronic infection with a murine coronavirus

After intranasal inoculation, mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) gains entry into the central nervous system (CNS) via the olfactory and trigeminal nerves. Under the appropriate conditions, some mice develop clinically apparent demyelinating encephalomyelitis several weeks later, with virus always present in the spinal cord. To determine the pathway by which virus reaches the cord, brains and spinal cords of infected, asymptomatic mice were analyzed by in situ hybridization. Viral RNA was always detected in the anterior part of the upper spinal cord. A similar analysis of mice with the recent onset of hindlimb weakness showed that viral RNA was detected in the same location. The results suggest that MHV is transported to the spinal cord via well-defined neuroanatomic pathways and that viral amplification with resultant clinical disease occurs from this site of persistence in the anterior spinal cord. This process of viral amplification may involve the generation of viral variants as has been described for MHV-infected rats. No major changes in viral RNA or protein could be detected when MHV isolated from mice with hindlimb paralysis was analyzed. The data suggest that the generation of viral variants is not important in the pathogenesis of the late onset of neurological disease induced by MHV in mice.