Abstract
The 299E prototype strain of human coronavirus (HCV-229E) has so far been mainly associated with infections of the respiratory tract. In the present study, we show evidence for infection of the central nervous system (CNS) by HCV-229E, both in vitro and in vivo.
Various human cell lines of CNS origin were tested for their susceptibility to infection by HCV-229E. Production of viral antigens was monitored by indirect immunofluorescence with monoclonal antibodies and infectious progeny virions by plaque assay on the L132 human embryonic lung cell line. The SK-N-SH neuroblastoma and H4 neuroglioma cell lines were highly susceptible to infection. The U-87 MG and U-373 MG astrocytoma cell lines were also infectable by HCV-229E. We could also demonstrate infection of the MO3.13 cell line, which was established by fusion of human oligodendrocytes with a thioguanineresistant mutant of the TE671 (RD) human rhabdomyosarcoma cell line. An apparently more extensive infection of the MO3.13 cells, when compared to the parental cells, supports the notion that human oligodendrocytes are differentially susceptible to infection by this virus.
We also tested for HCV-229E gene expression in pathological brain specimens. For that purpose, we developed a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay to amplify a portion of the mRNA encoding the viral nucleocapsid protein. Using stringent laboratory conditions, viral RNA was detectable in brain tissue of 4 of 11 multiple sclerosis patients and none of 6 neurological and 5 normal controls.
These results strongly suggest neurotropism on the part of HCV-229E and emphasize the importance of further studies on the possible involvement of human coronaviruses in neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
Chapter PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Keywords
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Central Nervous System Tissue
- Astrocytoma Cell Line
- Glial Cell Line
- Human Coronaviruses
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
References
K. McIntosh, In: “Virology, 2nd edn.”, B.N. Fields, D.M. Knipe et al., eds., p. 857, Raven Press, New York (1990).
N. Riski, and T. Hovi. J. Med. Virol. 6: 259 (1980).
S. Resta, J.P. Luby, C.R. Rosenfeld, and J.D. Siegel. Science 229: 978 (1985).
M. Battaglia, N. Passarini, A. DiMatteo, and G. Gerna. J. Inf. Dis. 155: 140 (1987).
M.L. Mortensen, C.G. Ray, C.M. Payne, A.D. Friedman, L.L. Minnich, and C. Rousseau. Amer. J. Dis. Child. 139: 928 (1985).
R. Tanaka, Y. Iwasaki, and H.J. Koprowski. J. Neurol. Sci. 28: 121 (1976).
J.S. Burks, B.L. DeVald, L.D. Jankovsky, and J.C. Gerdes. Science 209: 933 (1980).
S. Weiss. Virology 126: 669 (1983).
R.S. Murray, B. Brown, D. Brian, and G.F. Cabirac. Ann. Neurol. 31: 525 (1992).
R.S. Murray, G.-Y. Cai, K. Hoel, J.Y. Zhang, K.F. Soike, and G.F. Cabirac. Virology 188: 274 (1992).
A. Salmi, B. Ziola, T. Hovi, and M. Reunanen. Neurology 32: 292 (1982).
V. ter Meulen, P.T. Massa, and R. Dörries. In: “Handbook of Clinical Neurology: Viral Disease, Revised Series”, P.J. Vinken, G.W. Bruyn, and H.L. Klawans, eds., Vol. 12 (56), p. 439, Elsevier, New York (1989).
J. Pearson, and C.A. Mims. J. Virol. 53: 1016 (1985).
A.R. Collins, and O. Sorensen. Microbial Path. 1: 573 (1986).
D. Harare, and J.J. Procknow. Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 121: 190 (1966).
P. Jouvenne, S. Mounir, J.N. Stewart, C.D. Richardson, and P.J. Talbot. Virus Res. 22: 125 (1992).
N. Arpin, and P.J. Talbot. In: “Coronaviruses and Their Diseases”, D. Cavanagh and T.D.K. Brown, eds., p. 73, Plenum Press, New York (1990).
G. Trudel, J. Antel, and N.R. Cashman. Soc. Neurosci. Abst. 17: 31(1991).
P. Chomczynski, and N. Sacchi. Anal. Biochem. 162: 156 (1987).
J.N. Stewart, S. Mounir, and P.J. Talbot. In: “Diagnosis of Human Viruses by the Polymerase Chain Reaction, Frontiers in Virology, Vol. 1”, Y. Becker and G. Darai, eds., p. 316, Springer Verlag, Berlin (1992).
S.S. Schreiber, T. Kamahora, and M.M.C. Lai. Virology 169: 142 (1989).
R.K. Saiki, D.H. Gelfand, S. Stoffel, S.J. Scharf, R. Higuchi, G.T. Horn, K.B. Mullis, and H.A. Erlich. Science 239: 487 (1988).
E. Southern. Methods Enzymol. 68: 152 (1979).
H. Wege, S. Siddell, and V. ter Meulen. Curr. Top. Microbiol. Immunol. 99: 165 (1982).
O. Sorensen, A. Collins, W. Flintoff, G. Ebers, and S. Dales. Neurology 36: 1604 (1986).
R.E. Gama, P.J. Hughes, C.B. Bruce, and G. Stanway. Nucl. Acids Res. 16: 9346 (1988).
S. Perlman, G. Jacobsen, A.L. Olson, and A. Afifi. Virology 175: 418 (1990).
T.H. Maugh II. Science 195: 768 (1977).
P. Talbot, and P. Jouvenne. Médecinel Sciences 8: 119 (1992).
K. Ota, M. Matsui, E.L. Milford, Mackin, G.A., H.L. Weiner, and D.A. Hafler. Nature 346: 183 (1990).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1994 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Talbot, P.J., Ékandé, S., Cashman, N.R., Mounir, S., Stewart, J.N. (1994). Neurotropism of Human Coronavirus 229E. In: Laude, H., Vautherot, JF. (eds) Coronaviruses. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 342. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-2996-5_52
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-2996-5_52
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-6305-7
Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-2996-5
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive