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Roles of neural stem progenitor cells in cytomegalovirus infection of the brain in mouse models
Author(s) -
Tsutsui Yoshihiro,
Kosugi Isao,
Kawasaki Hideya,
Arai Yoshifumi,
Han GuiPing,
Li Li,
Kaneta Masaaki
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
pathology international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.73
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1440-1827
pISSN - 1320-5463
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1827.2008.02221.x
Subject(s) - neurosphere , neural stem cell , biology , progenitor cell , microcephaly , cytomegalovirus , neurogenesis , tropism , immunology , stem cell , tissue tropism , neuroscience , virology , cellular differentiation , adult stem cell , virus , herpesviridae , microbiology and biotechnology , viral disease , gene , genetics
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most significant infectious cause of brain disorders in humans. Although the brain is the principal target organ for CMV infection in infants with congenital infection and in immunocompromised patients, little has been known about cellular events in pathogenesis of the brain disorders. Mouse models have been developed by the authors for studying the cell tropism, infectious dynamics of CMV infection and the effects of CMV infection on proliferation, regeneration and differentiation of neural cells. It has been shown, using brain slice cultures and neurospheres, that neural stem progenitor (NSP) cells are the most susceptible to CMV infection in developing brains. The NSP cells are also susceptible to CMV infection in adult and aged brains. The susceptibility can be enhanced by stimulation of neurogenesis. It was shown that latent murine CMV infection occurs in NSP cells by demonstrating the reactivation in brain slice culture or neurospheres. It is hypothesized that CMV brain disorder such as microcephaly is caused by disturbance of cellular events in the ventricular regions, including proliferation and differentiation of the neural stem cells, whereas neurons are also targets in persistent CMV infection, presumably resulting in functional disorders such as mental retardation.