Open AccessNeurological disease induced in transgenic mice expressing the env gene of the Cas-Br-E murine retrovirus.
Author(s) -
Denis G. Kay,
Claude Gravel,
F. Pothier,
A Laperrière,
Yves Robitaille,
Paul Jolicoeur
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.90.10.4538
Subject(s) - transgene , virology , retrovirus , murine leukemia virus , biology , genetically modified mouse , virus , gene , viral replication , disease , neuropathology , genetics , medicine , pathology
The Cas-Br-E murine leukemia virus induces a spongiform myeloencephalopathy in susceptible mice. We constructed transgenic mice harboring either the viral genome (in a replication-defective form) or only its env gene. Low levels of expression of either transgene resulted in mild neuropathology and/or signs of neurological disease in more than half of these mice. These results indicate that the disease can occur in the absence of virus replication and strongly suggest that the env gp70/p15E complex is sufficient to induce disease.