EV71小鼠适应株制备及体内外感染特点

目的用1日龄ICR小鼠传代制备EV71小鼠适应株,研究EV71亲代株与小鼠适应株的体内外感染特点,建立EV71感染ICR小鼠动物模型,为病毒疫苗和抗病毒药物的研究提供实用的动物评价工具。方法用1日龄ICR小鼠进行EV71病毒(Fuyang-0805)的传代,得到小鼠传代株。以一定浓度亲代株和传代株病毒分别接种RD、Vero、SY5Y、Caco-2四种细胞,定量方法检测各时间点不同毒株在四种细胞上的复制数量,CCK8方法测定各时间点细胞的存活率;同时,两毒株分别腹腔注射感染1日龄小鼠,定期安乐死动物,采集肺、小肠、骨骼肌、大脑四种器官组织,进行动物体内病毒半定量和定量分析,同时进行各器官组织病理学观察、免疫组织化学鉴定。结果与亲代毒株相比较,小鼠传代株(EV71-MMP4)表现出更强的肌肉来源细胞嗜性与毒性;同时,两毒株腹腔注射感染1日龄小鼠后,EV71-MMP4感染的小鼠体重增长较正常小鼠体重增长缓慢;半定量和定量RT-PCR显示,在小鼠肌肉中的病毒载量于感染后1d和5d达到高峰。EV71-MMP4感染组感染率较高、病毒组织分布较广、感染持续性较好、病毒载量较高,高剂量病毒感染后小鼠小肠、心肌和骨骼肌可观察到细胞空泡变性、淋巴细胞浸润等病理变化。免疫组织化学显示感染后小鼠骨骼肌有EV71病毒特异分布。结论阜阳EV71小鼠适应株表现出较亲代毒株更好的小鼠易感性、细胞毒性,所建立的动物模型可用于EV71病毒致病机制、感染特点的研究和病毒疫苗及药物的评价。     

肠道病毒71型（EV71）对ICR小鼠的感染

目的研究肠道病毒71型经不同途径感染不同日龄ICR小鼠后的感染状况,了解肠道病毒71型的感染特点,为了解EV71小鼠感染机制和模型制备提供实验信息和技术支撑。方法分别通过口腔途径、颅腔途径、肌肉途径及腹腔途径感染1日龄、7日龄及3~4周龄SPF级ICR小鼠,定期安乐动物,采集各器官组织进行病原学诊断,确定EV71病毒感染情况;同时建立一步RT-PCR、病毒分离、IFA及IEA等方法。结果经腹腔途径感染成年鼠出现竖毛、弓背、消瘦症状,其他各途径感染小鼠感染后未见竖毛、弓背、觅食减少、体重减轻、精神呆滞及神经系统症状。颅腔注射3~4周龄ICR小鼠能在脑组织检测到病毒RNA,腹腔注射和肌肉注射1日龄乳鼠能在肌肉组织和肠道检测到病毒RNA,其中,肌肉组织病毒分离可检测到活病毒。本研究同时建立了分子生物学、血清学方法,为今后研究其它适合EV71的动物模型奠定了基础。结论临床分离的EV71毒株通过口腔接种、颅腔、肌肉、腹腔注射途径感染1日龄、7日龄及3~4周龄SPF级ICR小鼠的疾病程度和病毒检出不同,ICR乳鼠及成年鼠可作为该病毒感染机制、病毒体内分布等基础研究,但用作EV71动物模型应用,感染程度尚不十分理想。     

EV71不同临床株的新生小鼠毒力研究

目的探索不同EV71毒株在新生鼠的毒力。方法临床轻症、重症和死亡来源的EV71毒株,接种1日龄BALB/c乳鼠,观察14 d小鼠的症状,于感染后1、3、5、7 d和9 d,取小鼠组织RT-QPCR测病毒载量,HE染色观察病变。结果重症株与轻症株症状严重程度差异无显著性(P=0.693),且两组均较死亡株组重(P=0.000,P=0.000);轻症、重症和死亡株组小鼠生存率分别为77.2%、81.7%和97.8%,差异有显著性(P=0.0010,P=0.001,P=0.0004);轻症株组肺出血最重,脑、肌肉、脾和肠病理定性差异无显著性;轻症株组各组织病毒量最高,死亡株组最低。结论临床轻症毒株在乳鼠症状最重,死亡株最轻,与人的临床结局不一致,可能与病毒基因、宿主等因素相关。     

肠道病毒71型2A蛋白的研究进展

肠道病毒71(enterovirus 71,EV71)是手足口病(hand,foot and mouth disease,HFMD)主要致病原之一。手足口病临床上常表现为发热,手掌、脚掌及口腔黏膜皮疹或疱疹。然而,EV71感染导致的手足口病易伴随神经系统并发症,甚至死亡。EV71非结构蛋白2A作为蛋白酶和转录激活因子,在EV71生命周期中发挥重要作用。本文对2A的结构与功能研究进展进行综述,揭示2A的双重功能如何促进病毒复制和调控靶细胞,为进一步研究靶向2A的抗病毒疫苗和药物提供理论基础。     

肠道病毒71型(EV-A71)感染ICR小鼠模型的建立

为研究肠道病毒71型(Enterovirus 71,EV-A71)经不同攻毒方式感染不同日龄ICR乳鼠的感染情况,了解EV-A71在小鼠体内的动态分布和感染机制,为建立EV-A71感染动物模型,本研究采用分离自重症手足口患儿的EV-A71毒株,分别通过肌肉注射(Intramuscular injection,IM)、腹腔注射(Intraperitoneal injection,IP)以及脑内注射(Intracerebral injection,IC)的方式感染3日、5日和9日龄ICR乳鼠,感染后定期采集血液和各组织,通过Realtime PCR追踪各组织中病毒载量变化,并且通过切片制作和免疫组化对感染乳鼠进行病原学和病理学分析。结果显示:对于低日龄(≤5日龄)乳鼠,注射剂量在104.5 TCID50/g·体重时IM、IP及IC均为较好的感染方式,都会出现神经症状,且有极高的致死率。随着日龄增长,感染后症状有所减轻,但IM和IP感染途径对大日龄乳鼠仍具有良好的致病性,且IM和IP死亡率显著高于IC死亡率。经IM、IP和IC注射感染病毒的3日龄乳鼠在6dpi体重相对于各对照组分别下降了1.54g(31.43%)、1.31g(15.06%)和2.52g(44.28%),而经IM和IP感染的5日龄乳鼠6dpi体重相对于各对照组分别下降了0.605g(8.95%)、0.886g(15.51%),经IC感染的5日龄乳鼠6dpi体重相对于对照组上升了0.904g(14.70%),感染组体重均显著低于对应的同期对照组(P0.05)。经IM、IP和IC感染病毒的3日龄乳鼠9dpi均死亡,而5日龄乳鼠9dpi存活率分别为42.8%、25%和87.5,14dpi存活率分别为0%、0%和25%,9日龄乳鼠9dpi存活率分别为70%、84.62%和100%。病理学及免疫组化检查显示EV-A71病毒具有强烈的嗜神经性及嗜骨骼肌的特性,可导致病毒血症、脑神经元及骨骼肌坏死、心肌间质水肿及多脏器炎症反应。我们系统地研究了不同攻毒方式感染不同日龄的ICR乳鼠后的病毒动态分布及免疫病理损伤,发现经肌肉注射或腹腔注射5日龄乳鼠能够建立理想的EV-A71感染动物模型。     

人肠道病毒71型动物模型研究进展

人肠道病毒71型是婴幼儿手足口病的致病原之一,其严重的并发症可导致神经系统疾病,甚至死亡,是近期威胁中国儿童健康的因素之一。目前尚无临床疫苗可以预防该病毒感染,而EV71的动物模型是进行致病机理、疫苗评价和药物等研究的基础。本文对EV71的两种常用动物模型：小鼠和猕猴（Macaca mulatta）模型进行了描述,并对其在研究中的应用给与概括,为研究者选择合适的动物模型提供了依据。     

肠道病毒71型感染动物模型的应用与局限

肠道病毒71型(enterovirus 71,EV71)是一种被忽视的热带传染病——手足口病的主要病原体之一,过去15年在亚太地区引起了多次手足口病暴发。由于脊髓灰质炎病毒的有效控制,EV71已成为最重要的嗜神经肠道病毒,其严重的神经系统并发症威胁着儿童健康。合适的动物模型可帮助更好地了解EV71神经致病机制,并有利于开发有效的疫苗和治疗药物。本文就EV71已建立的3类主要动物模型(非人灵长类动物模型、小鼠适应性模型及转基因小鼠模型)的特征、应用与局限进行综述。     

三个品系小鼠流感病毒气溶胶感染模型的比较

目的通过气雾攻击产生气溶胶的感染方式对三个品系的小鼠分别进行感染,比较三个品系小鼠在感染过程中的感染差异,从而对三个品系小鼠流感模型的特点进行分析,为流感发病机制的研究及疫苗和药物的开发选择合适的感染模型提供参考。方法选用A/Puerto Rico/8/34(H1N1)病毒株,采用气雾攻击的方法感染近交系C57BL/6、BALB/c和远交群ICR三个品系的小鼠,每日称小鼠体重,肉眼观察小鼠状态,分别于感染后3、7、14 d处死小鼠,取肺脏称其湿重,进行肺脏的病毒测定及病理观察。结果三个品系小鼠均可感染,其中C57BL/6小鼠的存活率低于其他两个品系,3 d的肺指数和病毒载量均明显高于ICR小鼠(P0.05),镜下病理结果显示较其他两个品系也更明显。BALB/c小鼠与其他两个品系小鼠相比,体重在后期的恢复最慢,存活率比C57BL/6高但比ICR低;肺指数和病毒载量与其他两个品系相比差异无显著性;镜下病理改变相似,但弱于C57BL/6强于ICR。ICR小鼠的发病进程与其他两个品系小鼠基本相似,但体重、存活率、肺指数、病毒载量及镜下病理改变等指标均弱于其他两个品系。结论三个品系小鼠均可建立流感气溶胶模型,但感染后的三个模型各有特点,在实验中可以根据不同的研究目的来选用合适的小鼠品系建立模型。     

利用遗传多样性小鼠资源筛选CA16致病相关基因

目的柯萨奇病毒A16型(Coxsachievirus A16,CA16)是手足口病主要致病病原体之一,其致病机制尚未明确。本研究利用遗传多样性小鼠(Genetic Diversity Mice)筛选CA16致病相关基因,深入研究该病毒的致病机制。方法选取23个遗传多样性小鼠品系为实验组,近交系C57BL/6小鼠为阴性对照组,均经腹腔感染107Copies CA16病毒,取材血液和后肢骨骼肌样本,利用实时荧光定量PCR测定样本的病毒载量,之后利用The Gene Mine系统遗传学数据库分析感染数据,筛选获得CA16致病相关基因。结果依据感染小鼠血液和肌肉中病毒拷贝数均高于104Copies/(μL/mg)的筛选标准,得到7个对CA16易感的遗传多样性小鼠品系,且这些小鼠的骨骼肌组织表现出显著的病理损伤;同时基于The Gene Mine专业数据库的相应数据分析,发现小鼠3号及4号染色体与CA16致病最为相关,并最终筛选到16个可能与CA16致病相关的基因。结论遗传多样性小鼠资源为CA16致病相关基因研究提供新思路。     

利用免疫抑制小鼠模型检测真菌病毒对黄曲霉菌致病力影响

【目的】构建用于比较黄曲霉（Aspergillus flavus,A. flavus）菌株之间致病力差异的小鼠感染模型,并利用该模型评价真菌病毒AfPV1对宿主A. flavus致病力的影响。【方法】用不同浓度环磷酰胺腹腔注射Institute of Cancer Research （ICR）小鼠,根据白细胞的数量判断小鼠免疫抑制程度;通过滴鼻和尾静脉两种感染方法接种不同浓度的A. flavus孢子量,统计14 d以内小鼠的死亡率,确定A. flavus最佳的孢子接种量;通过小鼠组织的菌落负荷量以及肺部组织的病理观察,确定A. flavus感染是否成功;最后利用该小鼠模型评价真菌病毒AfPV1对寄主A. flavus致病力的影响。【结果】腹腔注射环磷酰胺的浓度为250 mg/kg时,能够达到免疫抑制水平;小鼠组织真菌负荷和病理组织切片观察显示A. flavus成功感染接种的ICR小鼠组织;在滴鼻接种模型中,A. flavus的孢子接种量为40μL（1×10⁶CFU/mL）时比较合适评价A. flavus菌株之间的差异;在尾静脉接种的模型中,A. flavus的孢子...     

A mouse-adapted enterovirus 71 strain causes neurological disease in mice after oral infection

A mouse-adapted enterovirus 71 (EV71) strain with increased virulence in mice, MP4, was generated after four serial passages of the parental EV71 strain 4643 in mice. Strain MP4 exhibited a larger plaque size, grew more rapidly, and was more cytotoxic in vitro than strain 4643. Although strains 4643 and MP4 both induced apoptosis of SK-N-SH human neuroblastoma cells, MP4 was more virulent than 4643 in 1-day-old mice (50% lethal doses, 10(2) and 10(4) PFU/mouse, respectively). Strain MP4 (5 x 10(6) PFU/mouse), but not 4643, could orally infect 7-day-old mice, resulting in rear-limb paralysis followed by death 5 to 9 days after inoculation with the virus. Histopathologically, neuronal loss and apoptosis were evident in the spinal cords as well as the brain stems of the infected mice. The limb muscles displayed massive necrosis. There was early and transient virus replication in the intestines, whereas the spinal cord, brain, and muscle became the sites of viral replication during the late phase of the infection. Virus transmission occurred among infected and noninfected cagemates, as demonstrated by the occurrence of seroconversion and the presence of viable viruses in the stool samples of the latter. Protection against EV71 challenge was demonstrated following administration of hyperimmune serum 1 day after inoculation with the virus. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the genome of EV71 strain MP4 revealed four nucleotide changes on the 5' untranslated region, three on the VP2 region, and eight on the 2C region, resulting in one and four amino acid substitutions in the VP2 and 2C proteins, respectively.     

A mouse muscle-adapted enterovirus 71 strain with increased virulence in mice

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) infections can usually cause epidemic hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD), and occasionally lead to aseptic meningitis, encephalitis, and polio-like illness. Skeletal muscles have been thought to be crucial for the pathogenesis of EV71-related diseases. However, little is known about the virulence of mouse muscle-adapted EV71. The EV71 0805 were subjected to four passages in the mouse muscle to generate a mouse-adapted EV71 strain of 0805a. In comparison with the parental EV71 0805, the mouse muscle-adapted EV71 0805a displayed stronger cytotoxicity against Rhabdomyosarcoma (RD) cells and more efficient replication in RD cells. Furthermore, infection with the EV71 0805a significantly inhibited the gain of body weight, accompanied by increased muscle virus load and multiple tissue distribution in the infected mouse. Histological examinations indicated that infection with the EV71 0805 did not cause obvious pathogenic lesions in mice, while infection with the muscle-adapted 0805a resulted in severe necrotizing myositis in the skeletal and cardio muscles, and intestinitis in mice on day 5 post infection. Further analysis revealed many mutations in different regions of the genome of mouse muscle-adapted virus. Collectively, these data demonstrated the mouse muscle-adapted EV71 0805a with increased virulence in mice.     

Enterovirus 71-Induced Neurological Disorders in Young Gerbils,Meriones unguiculatus: Development and Application of a Neurological Disease Model

A reliable disease model mimicking Enterovirus 71 (EV71) infection in humans is essential for understanding pathogenesis and for developing a safe and effective vaccine. Commonly used rodent models including mouse or rat models are not suitable for vaccine evaluation because the rodents are resistant to EV71 infection after they reach the age of 6 days. In this study, 21-day-old gerbils inoculated intraperitoneally (IP) with a non mouse-adapted EV71 strain developed neurological lesion-related signs including hind limb paralysis, slowness, ataxia and lethargy similar to those of central nervous system (CNS) infection of EV71 in humans. The infected gerbils eventually died of the neurological lesions and EV71 could be isolated from lung, liver, spleen, kidney, heart, spinal cord, brain cortex, brainstem and skeletal muscle. Significantly high virus replication was detected in spinal cord, brainstem and skeletal muscle by cellular analysis, real-time quantitative PCR (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemical staining. Histopathologic changes such as neuronal degeneration, neuronal loss and neuronophagia were observed in spinal cord, brain cortex, brainstem, and skeletal muscle along with necrotizing myositis and splenic atrophy. Gerbils that received two doses of inactive whole-virus vaccine showed no EV71-specific symptoms after challenged with EV71. In contrast, gerbils that received mock vaccination died of EV71-induced neuropathology after challenged with EV71. The result indicates that gerbils can serve as a reliable disease model for evaluating safety and efficacy of EV71 vaccine.     

Enterovirus 71-induced autophagy increases viral replication and pathogenesis in a suckling mouse model

Background

We previously reported that Enterovirus 71 (EV71) infection activates autophagy, which promotes viral replication both in vitro and in vivo. In the present study we further investigated whether EV71 infection of neuronal SK-N-SH cells induces an autophagic flux. Furthermore, the effects of autophagy on EV71-related pathogenesis and viral load were evaluated after intracranial inoculation of mouse-adapted EV71 (MP4 strain) into 6-day-old ICR suckling mice.

Results

We demonstrated that in EV71-infected SK-N-SH cells, EV71 structural protein VP1 and nonstructural protein 2C co-localized with LC3 and mannose-6-phosphate receptor (MPR, endosome marker) proteins by immunofluorescence staining, indicating amphisome formation. Together with amphisome formation, EV71 induced an autophagic flux, which could be blocked by NH₄Cl (inhibitor of acidification) and vinblastine (inhibitor of fusion), as demonstrated by Western blotting. Suckling mice intracranially inoculated with EV71 showed EV71 VP1 protein expression (representing EV71 infection) in the cerebellum, medulla, and pons by immunohistochemical staining. Accompanied with these infected brain tissues, increased expression of LC3-II protein as well as formation of LC3 aggregates, autophagosomes and amphisomes were detected. Amphisome formation, which was confirmed by colocalization of EV71-VP1 protein or LC3 puncta and the endosome marker protein MPR. Thus, EV71-infected suckling mice (similar to EV71-infected SK-N-SH cells) also show an autophagic flux. The physiopathological parameters of EV71-MP4 infected mice, including body weight loss, disease symptoms, and mortality were increased compared to those of the uninfected mice. We further blocked EV71-induced autophagy with the inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA), which attenuated the disease symptoms and decreased the viral load in the brain tissues of the infected mice.

Conclusions

In this study, we reveal that EV71 infection of suckling mice induces an amphisome formation accompanied with the autophagic flux in the brain tissues. Autophagy induced by EV71 promotes viral replication and EV71-related pathogenesis.     

Adaptation of Enterovirus 71 to Adult Interferon Deficient Mice

Non-polio enteroviruses, including enterovirus 71 (EV71), have caused severe and fatal cases of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in the Asia-Pacific region. The development of a vaccine or antiviral against these pathogens has been hampered by the lack of a reliable small animal model. In this study, a mouse adapted EV71 strain was produced by conducting serial passages through A129 (α/β interferon (IFN) receptor deficient) and AG129 (α/β, γ IFN receptor deficient) mice. A B2 sub genotype of EV71 was inoculated intraperitoneally (i.p.) into neonatal AG129 mice and brain-harvested virus was subsequently passaged through 12 and 15 day-old A129 mice. When tested in 10 week-old AG129 mice, this adapted strain produced 100% lethality with clinical signs including limb paralysis, eye irritation, loss of balance, and death. This virus caused only 17% mortality in same age A129 mice, confirming that in the absence of a functional IFN response, adult AG129 mice are susceptible to infection by adapted EV71 isolates. Subsequent studies in adult AG129 and young A129 mice with the adapted EV71 virus examined the efficacy of an inactivated EV71 candidate vaccine and determined the role of humoral immunity in protection. Passive transfer of rabbit immune sera raised against the EV71 vaccine provided protection in a dose dependent manner in 15 day-old A129 mice. Intramuscular injections (i.m.) in five week-old AG129 mice with the alum adjuvanted vaccine also provided protection against the mouse adapted homologous strain. No clinical signs of disease or mortality were observed in vaccinated animals, which received a prime-and-boost, whereas 71% of control animals were euthanized after exhibiting systemic clinical signs (P<0.05). The development of this animal model will facilitate studies on EV71 pathogenesis, antiviral testing, the evaluation of immunogenicity and efficacy of vaccine candidates, and has the potential to establish correlates of protection studies.     

Apoptosis in the Mouse Central Nervous System in Response to Infection with Mouse-Neurovirulent Dengue Viruses

Apoptosis has been suggested as a mechanism by which dengue (DEN) virus infection may cause neuronal cell death (P. Desprès, M. Flamand, P.-E. Ceccaldi, and V. Deubel, J. Virol. 70:4090–4096, 1996). In this study, we investigated whether apoptotic cell death occurred in the central nervous system (CNS) of neonatal mice inoculated intracerebrally with DEN virus. We showed that serial passage of a wild-type human isolate of DEN virus in mouse brains selected highly neurovirulent variants which replicated more efficiently in the CNS. Infection of newborn mice with these neurovirulent variants produced fatal encephalitis within 10 days after inoculation. Virus-induced cell death and oligonucleosomal DNA fragmentation were observed in mouse brain tissue by day 9. Infected mouse brain tissue was assayed for apoptosis by in situ terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling and for virus replication by immunostaining of viral antigens and in situ hybridization. Apoptotic cell death and DEN virus replication were restricted to the neurons of the cortical and hippocampal regions. Thus, DEN virus-induced apoptosis in the CNS was a direct result of virus infection. In the murine neuronal cell line Neuro 2a, neuroadapted DEN virus variants showed infection patterns similar to those of the parental strain. However, DEN virus-induced apoptosis in these cells was more pronounced after infection with the neurovirulent variants than after infection with the parental strain.     

A non-mouse-adapted enterovirus 71 (EV71) strain exhibits neurotropism, causing neurological manifestations in a novel mouse model of EV71 infection

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is a neurotropic pathogen that has been consistently associated with the severe neurological forms of hand, foot, and mouth disease. The lack of a relevant animal model has hampered our understanding of EV71 pathogenesis, in particular the route and mode of viral dissemination. It has also hindered the development of effective prophylactic and therapeutic approaches, making EV71 one of the most pressing public health concerns in Southeast Asia. Here we report a novel mouse model of EV71 infection. We demonstrate that 2-week-old and younger immunodeficient AG129 mice, which lack type I and II interferon receptors, are susceptible to infection with a non-mouse-adapted EV71 strain via both the intraperitoneal (i.p.) and oral routes of inoculation. The infected mice displayed progressive limb paralysis prior to death. The dissemination of the virus was dependent on the route of inoculation but eventually resulted in virus accumulation in the central nervous systems of both animal groups, indicating a clear neurotropism of the virus. Histopathological examination revealed massive damage in the limb muscles, brainstem, and anterior horn areas. However, the minute amount of infectious viral particles in the limbs from orally infected animals argues against a direct viral cytopathic effect in this tissue and suggests that limb paralysis is a consequence of EV71 neuroinvasion. Together, our observations support that young AG129 mice display polio-like neuropathogenesis upon infection with a non-mouse-adapted EV71 strain, making this mouse model relevant for EV71 pathogenesis studies and an attractive platform for EV71 vaccine and drug testing.     

Exogenous interleukin-6, interleukin-13, and interferon-gamma provoke pulmonary abnormality with mild edema in enterovirus 71-infected mice

Background

Neonatal mice developed neurological disease and pulmonary dysfunction after an infection with a mouse-adapted human Enterovirus 71 (EV71) strain MP4. However, the hallmark of severe human EV71 infection, pulmonary edema (PE), was not evident.

Methods

To test whether EV71-induced PE required a proinflammatory cytokine response, exogenous pro-inflammatory cytokines were administered to EV71-infected mice during the late stage of infection.

Results

After intracranial infection of EV71/MP4, 7-day-old mice developed hind-limb paralysis, pulmonary dysfunction, and emphysema. A transient increase was observed in serum IL-6, IL-10, IL-13, and IFN-γ, but not noradrenaline. At day 3 post infection, treatment with IL-6, IL-13, and IFN-γ provoked mild PE and severe emphysema that were accompanied by pulmonary dysfunction in EV71-infected, but not herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1)-infected control mice. Adult mice did not develop PE after an intracerebral microinjection of EV71 into the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS). While viral antigen accumulated in the ventral medulla and the NTS of intracerebrally injected mice, neuronal loss was observed in the ventral medulla only.

Conclusions

Exogenous IL-6, IL-13, and IFN-γ treatment could induce mild PE and exacerbate pulmonary abnormality of EV71-infected mice. However, other factors such as over-activation of the sympathetic nervous system may also be required for the development of classic PE symptoms.     

Immunity to avirulent enterovirus 71 and coxsackie A16 virus protects against enterovirus 71 infection in mice

In this study, we sought to determine whether intratypic and intertypic cross-reactivity protected against enterovirus 71 (EV71) infection in a murine infection model. We demonstrate that active immunization of 1-day-old mice with avirulent EV71 strain or coxsackie A16 virus (CA16) by the oral route developed anti-EV71 antibodies with neutralizing activity (1:16 and 1:2, respectively). Splenocytes from both EV71- and CA16-immunized mice proliferated upon EV71 or CA16, but not coxsackie B3 virus (CB3), antigen stimulation. Immunized mice became more resistant to virulent EV71 strain challenge than nonimmunized mice. There was an increase in the percentage of activated splenic T cells and B cells in the immunized mice 2 days after EV71 challenge. The CA16 immune serum reacted with EV71 antigens in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and neutralized EV71 but not CB3 or poliovirus at a titer of 1:4. Passive immunization with the CA16 immune serum reduced the clinical score, diminished the organ viral load, and increased the survival rate of mice upon EV71 challenge. CB3 neither shared in vitro cross-reactivity with EV71 nor provided in vivo protection after both active and passive immunization. These results illustrated that live vaccine is feasible for EV71 and that intertypic cross-reactivity of enteroviruses may provide a way to determine the prevalence of EV71.