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Rodent Models of Varicella-Zoster Virus Neurotropism

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Book cover Varicella-zoster Virus

Part of the book series: Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology ((CT MICROBIOLOGY,volume 342))

Abstract

Inoculation of rodents with varicella-zoster virus (VZV) results in a latent infection in dorsal root ganglia with expression of at least five of the six VZV transcripts and one of the viral proteins that are reported to be expressed during latency in human ganglia. Rats develop allodynia and hyperalgesia in the limb distal to the site of injection and the resulting exaggerated withdrawal response to stimuli is reduced by treatment with gabapentin and amitryptyline, but not by antiviral therapy. Inoculation of rats with VZV mutants show that most viral genes are dispensable for latency, but that some genes (e.g., ORF4, 29, and ORF63) that are expressed during latency are important for the establishment of latency in rodents, but not for infection of rodent ganglia. The rodent model for VZV latency allows one to study ganglia removed immediately after death, avoiding the possibility of reactivation, and helps to identify VZV genes required for latency.

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Abbreviations

VZV:

Varicella-zoster virus

HSV:

Herpes simplex virus

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Acknowledgement

I thank the intramural research program of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bldg. 10, Room 11N234, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA

    Jeffrey I. Cohen

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  1. Jeffrey I. Cohen
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Correspondence to Jeffrey I. Cohen .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Infectious Diseases and Im, Head, VZV Research Laboratory, University of Sydney, Room 601 Blackburn Building D06, Sydney, 2006, New South Wales, Australia

    Allison Abendroth

  2. School of Medicine, Dept. Microbiology & Immunology, Stanford University, Pasteur Drive 300, Stanford, 94305-5124, California, USA

    Ann M. Arvin

  3. 2215 Weiskotten Hall, Upstate Medical University, East Adams Street 750, Syracuse, 13210, New York, USA

    Jennifer F. Moffat

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Cohen, J.I. (2010). Rodent Models of Varicella-Zoster Virus Neurotropism. In: Abendroth, A., Arvin, A., Moffat, J. (eds) Varicella-zoster Virus. Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology, vol 342. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/82_2010_11

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