HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Hooks, J. J. Articles by Detrick, B. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Hooks, J. J. Articles by Detrick, B.

The Critical Role of IFN- in Experimental Coronavirus Retinopathy

¹From the Laboratory of Immunology, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland; and the ²Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland.

PURPOSE. Experimental coronavirus retinopathy (ECOR) is an animal model of progressive retinal disease that is first manifest as an acute retinal inflammation followed by chronic, immune-associated retinal degeneration in genetically susceptible, BALB/c mice. In retinal degeneration–resistant CD-1 mice, only the acute infection is seen. In the present study, interferon (IFN)- production during ECOR was studied and its role evaluated in the clearance of infectious virus from the retina.

METHODS. BALB/c, CD-1, and IFN-–deficient (IFN- gko) mice were inoculated with the JHM strain of murine coronavirus by the intravitreal route. Mouse eyes were evaluated for infiltrating cells and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) expression by immunocytochemical staining. Isolated retinas were analyzed for IFN- mRNA by RT-PCR, and sera were evaluated for IFN- protein by ELISA assays.

RESULTS. Virus infection in BALB/c mice was associated with an increase in the incidence and levels of systemic IFN-. Moreover, IFN- mRNA was detected within the retinas of infected animals during the acute phase of the disease but was not detected in normal or mock-injected animals. IFN- mRNA was detected at the time of T-cell infiltration, and earlier studies have shown that this is temporally related to granzyme B gene expression and the clearance of infectious virus from the retina. Retinal IFN- mRNA was also associated with the upregulation of MHC class I and II molecules within the retina. When this infection occurred in IFN- gko mice, the virus was unchecked, and the infection led to death.

CONCLUSIONS. These studies indicate that generation of IFN- by cells infiltrating the retina is an essential part of an immune mechanism responsible for noncytolytic clearance of infectious virus from the retina.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. J. Hooks, C. N. Nagineni, L. C. Hooper, K. Hayashi, and B. Detrick IFN-{beta} Provides Immuno-Protection in the Retina by Inhibiting ICAM-1 and CXCL9 in Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells J. Immunol., March 15, 2008; 180(6): 3789 - 3796. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Burdeinick-Kerr, J. Wind, and D. E. Griffin Synergistic Roles of Antibody and Interferon in Noncytolytic Clearance of Sindbis Virus from Different Regions of the Central Nervous System J. Virol., June 1, 2007; 81(11): 5628 - 5636. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Shrestha, T. Wang, M. A. Samuel, K. Whitby, J. Craft, E. Fikrig, and M. S. Diamond Gamma Interferon Plays a Crucial Early Antiviral Role in Protection against West Nile Virus Infection. J. Virol., June 1, 2006; 80(11): 5338 - 5348. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Burdeinick-Kerr and D. E. Griffin Gamma Interferon-Dependent, Noncytolytic Clearance of Sindbis Virus Infection from Neurons In Vitro J. Virol., May 1, 2005; 79(9): 5374 - 5385. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]