myelin-basic-protein and Retroviridae-Infections

Some mice infected with murine leukaemia retrovirus, LP-BM5 including ecotropic, mink cell focus-inducing murine leukaemia virus, and a replication-defective genome, have been reported to show weakness, ataxia, or selective deficits in spatial learning after developing an immunodeficiency syndrome similar to human AIDS. In the central nervous system, astrocytes and microglial cells have been shown to be infected by this virus. We present here findings that the ecotropic virus and defective genome can infect murine brain capillary endothelial cells, and infected endothelial cells show an impaired function as target cells against myelin basic protein (MBP) specific T cell clone.

Topics: Animals; Antigen-Presenting Cells; Capillaries; Cells, Cultured; Cerebrovascular Circulation; Endothelium, Vascular; Interferon-gamma; Leukemia Virus, Murine; Leukemia, Experimental; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Myelin Basic Protein; Retroviridae Infections; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic; Tumor Virus Infections