Luciferase-tagged wild-type and tropism-deficient mouse cytomegaloviruses reveal early dynamics of host colonization following peripheral challenge

Farrell H, Oliveira M, Macdonald K, Yunis J, Mach M, Bruce K, Stevenson P, Cardin R, Davis-Poynter N (2016)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2016

Journal

Journal of General Virology Microbiology Society

Book Volume: 97

Pages Range: 3379-3391

Journal Issue: 12

DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.000642

Abstract

Cytomegaloviruses (CMVs) establish persistent, systemic infections and cause disease by maternal-foetal transfer, suggesting that their dissemination is a key target for antiviral intervention. Late clinical presentation has meant that human CMV (HCMV) dissemination is not well understood. Murine CMV (MCMV) provides a tractable model. Whole mouse imaging of virus-expressed luciferase has proved a useful way to track systemic infections. MCMV, in which the abundant lytic gene M78 was luciferase-tagged via a self-cleaving peptide (M78-LUC), allowed serial, unbiased imaging of systemic and peripheral infection without significant virus attenuation. Ex vivo luciferase imaging showed greater sensitivity than plaque assay, and revealed both well-known infection sites (the lungs, lymph nodes, salivary glands, liver, spleen and pancreas) and less explored sites (the bone marrow and upper respiratory tract). We applied luciferase imaging to tracking MCMV lacking M33, a chemokine receptor conserved in HCMV and a proposed anti-viral drug target. M33-deficient M78-LUC colonized normally in peripheral sites and local draining lymph nodes but spread poorly to the salivary gland, suggesting a defect in vascular transport consistent with properties of a chemokine receptor.

Authors with CRIS profile

Michael Mach Medizinische Fakultät

Additional Organisation(s)

Institute of Clinical and Molecular Virology

Involved external institutions

University of Queensland AU Australia (AU) University of Cincinnati US United States (USA) (US)

How to cite

APA:

Farrell, H., Oliveira, M., Macdonald, K., Yunis, J., Mach, M., Bruce, K.,... Davis-Poynter, N. (2016). Luciferase-tagged wild-type and tropism-deficient mouse cytomegaloviruses reveal early dynamics of host colonization following peripheral challenge. Journal of General Virology, 97(12), 3379-3391. https://doi.org/10.1099/jgv.0.000642

MLA:

Farrell, Helen, et al. "Luciferase-tagged wild-type and tropism-deficient mouse cytomegaloviruses reveal early dynamics of host colonization following peripheral challenge." Journal of General Virology 97.12 (2016): 3379-3391.

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