Biomaterial Database

Murine cytomegalovirus retinitis during MAIDS: Susceptibility correlates with elevated intraocular levels of interleukin-4 mRNA. 2003

Richard Dix, and Scott Cousins

Department of Ophthalmology, Jones Eye Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.

OBJECTIVE To determine if murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV)-infected eyes of mice with murine acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (MAIDS) that are destined to develop MCMV retinitis display elevated intraocular levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4) mRNA when compared with uninfected eyes of mice with MAIDS and unmanipulated, uninfected, eyes of normal healthy mice. METHODS Groups of C57BL/6 mice with MAIDS and normal C57BL/6 mice were infected uniocularly with MCMV by subretinal MCMV injection. IL-4 levels in individual spleens collected five days later from groups of MAIDS mice and normal mice were assessed by quantitative ELISA. MCMV-infected eyes and uninfected contralateral eyes from another group of mice with MAIDS were also collected at five days postinfection and individually subjected to competitive RT-PCR assay and real-time RT-PCR assay for detection and quantification of IL-4 mRNA. Unmanipulated eyes from normal C57BL/6 mice served as controls. RESULTS IL-4 mRNA was detected at a level of 9.7 +/- 3.4 pg mRNA per 1000 ng total RNA in 100% of MCMV-infected eyes of mice with MAIDS by competitive RT-PCR assay, but could not be detected in any of the uninfected eyes of MAIDS mice. In comparison, the more sensitive technique of real-time RT-PCR assay detected copies of IL-4 cDNA in both MCMV-infected eyes and uninfected eyes of MAIDS mice. MCMV-infected eyes showed a 16-fold increase in the number of IL-4 cDNA copies when compared with uninfected eyes. Neither technique detected IL-4 mRNA in unmanipulated eyes of normal mice. As expected, spleen cells from mice with MAIDS expressed significantly greater levels of IL-4 when compared with spleen cells from normal mice. CONCLUSIONS MCMV-infected mice with MAIDS exhibited an expected preferential activation of Th2 cells as determined by increased levels of IL-4 in spleen cells when compared with spleen cells of normal mice. MCMV-infected eyes destined to develop retinitis during MAIDS also showed increased levels of detectable IL-4 mRNA when compared with uninfected eyes of mice with MAIDS. It is therefore possible that IL-4 synthesis by Th2 CD4+ T cells during retrovirus-induced immunosuppression serves to inhibit the perforin cytotoxic pathway that subsequently allows susceptibility to MCMV retinitis during MAIDS.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008810	Mice, Inbred C57BL	One of the first INBRED MOUSE STRAINS to be sequenced. This strain is commonly used as genetic background for transgenic mouse models. Refractory to many tumors, this strain is also preferred model for studying role of genetic variations in development of diseases.	Mice, C57BL,Mouse, C57BL,Mouse, Inbred C57BL,C57BL Mice,C57BL Mice, Inbred,C57BL Mouse,C57BL Mouse, Inbred,Inbred C57BL Mice,Inbred C57BL Mouse
D003199	Computer Systems	Systems composed of a computer or computers, peripheral equipment, such as disks, printers, and terminals, and telecommunications capabilities.	Computer Architecture,Computer System,Computer Systems Development,Computer Systems Evaluation,Computer Systems Organization,Real Time System,Real-Time Systems,Organization, Computer Systems,Architecture, Computer,Architectures, Computer,Computer Architectures,Computer Systems Evaluations,Development, Computer Systems,Evaluation, Computer Systems,Evaluations, Computer Systems,Real Time Systems,Real-Time System,System, Computer,System, Real Time,System, Real-Time,Systems, Computer,Systems, Real Time,Systems, Real-Time,Time System, Real,Time Systems, Real
D004198	Disease Susceptibility	A constitution or condition of the body which makes the tissues react in special ways to certain extrinsic stimuli and thus tends to make the individual more than usually susceptible to certain diseases.	Diathesis,Susceptibility, Disease,Diatheses,Disease Susceptibilities,Susceptibilities, Disease
D005123	Eye	The organ of sight constituting a pair of globular organs made up of a three-layered roughly spherical structure specialized for receiving and responding to light.	Eyes
D006566	Herpesviridae Infections	Virus diseases caused by the HERPESVIRIDAE.	Herpesvirus Infections,B Virus Infection,Infections, Herpesviridae,Infections, Herpesvirus,B Virus Infections,Herpesviridae Infection,Herpesvirus Infection,Infection, B Virus,Infection, Herpesviridae,Infection, Herpesvirus,Infections, B Virus
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012333	RNA, Messenger	RNA sequences that serve as templates for protein synthesis. Bacterial mRNAs are generally primary transcripts in that they do not require post-transcriptional processing. Eukaryotic mRNA is synthesized in the nucleus and must be exported to the cytoplasm for translation. Most eukaryotic mRNAs have a sequence of polyadenylic acid at the 3' end, referred to as the poly(A) tail. The function of this tail is not known for certain, but it may play a role in the export of mature mRNA from the nucleus as well as in helping stabilize some mRNA molecules by retarding their degradation in the cytoplasm.	Messenger RNA,Messenger RNA, Polyadenylated,Poly(A) Tail,Poly(A)+ RNA,Poly(A)+ mRNA,RNA, Messenger, Polyadenylated,RNA, Polyadenylated,mRNA,mRNA, Non-Polyadenylated,mRNA, Polyadenylated,Non-Polyadenylated mRNA,Poly(A) RNA,Polyadenylated mRNA,Non Polyadenylated mRNA,Polyadenylated Messenger RNA,Polyadenylated RNA,RNA, Polyadenylated Messenger,mRNA, Non Polyadenylated
D013154	Spleen	An encapsulated lymphatic organ through which venous blood filters.
D015847	Interleukin-4	A soluble factor produced by activated T-LYMPHOCYTES that induces the expression of MHC CLASS II GENES and FC RECEPTORS on B-LYMPHOCYTES and causes their proliferation and differentiation. It also acts on T-lymphocytes, MAST CELLS, and several other hematopoietic lineage cells.	B-Cell Growth Factor-I,B-Cell Stimulatory Factor-1,Binetrakin,IL-4,Mast Cell Growth Factor-2,B Cell Stimulatory Factor-1,B-Cell Growth Factor-1,B-Cell Proliferating Factor,B-Cell Stimulating Factor-1,B-Cell Stimulatory Factor 1,BCGF-1,BSF-1,IL4,MCGF-2,B Cell Growth Factor 1,B Cell Growth Factor I,B Cell Proliferating Factor,B Cell Stimulating Factor 1,B Cell Stimulatory Factor 1,Interleukin 4,Mast Cell Growth Factor 2
D016183	Murine Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome	Acquired defect of cellular immunity that occurs in mice infected with mouse leukemia viruses (MuLV). The syndrome shows striking similarities with human AIDS and is characterized by lymphadenopathy, profound immunosuppression, enhanced susceptibility to opportunistic infections, and B-cell lymphomas.	AIDS, Murine,MAIDS,Murine AIDS,Murine Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome,Murine Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome,AIDSs, Murine,Murine AIDSs,Murine Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome