Work

JC Polyomavirus Infection Reveals Delayed Progression of the Infectious Cycle in Normal Human Astrocytes

Year: 2019

Type: article

Abstract: Animal models are crucial in advancing biomedical research and defining the pathogenesis of human disease. Unfortunately, not all diseases can be easily modeled in a nonhuman host or such models are cost prohibitive to generate, including models for the human-specific virus JC polyomavirus (JCPyV). JCPyV infects most of the population but can cause a rare, fatal disease, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). There have been considerable advancements in understanding the molecular mechanisms of JCPyV infection, but this has mostly been limited to immortalized cell culture models. In contrast, PML pathogenesis research has been greatly hindered because of the lack of an animal model. We have further characterized JCPyV infection in primary human astrocytes to better define the infectious process in a primary cell type. Albeit a cell culture model, primary astrocytes may better recapitulate human disease, are easier to maintain than other primary cells, and are less expensive than using an animal model.

Source: Journal of Virology

DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01331-19

Authors: Michael P. Wilczek, Jeanne K. DuShane, Francesca J. Armstrong, Melissa S. Maginnis

Institution: University of Maine

Language: English

Topic: Polyomavirus and related diseases

Subfield: Oncology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases