A lymphatic mechanism of rotavirus extraintestinal spread in the neonatal mouse

J Virol. 2003 Nov;77(22):12352-6. doi: 10.1128/jvi.77.22.12352-12356.2003.

Abstract

We used the neonatal mouse model of rotavirus infection and virus strains SA11-clone 4 (SA11-Cl4) and Rhesus rotavirus (RRV) to examine the mechanism of the extraintestinal spread of viruses following oral inoculation. The spread-competent viruses, RRV and reassortant R7, demonstrated a temporal progression from the intestine, to the terminal ileum, to the mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), and to the peripheral tissues. SA11-Cl4 was not found outside the intestine. Reassortant virus S7, which was unable to reach the liver in previous studies (E. C. Mossel and R. F. Ramig, J. Virol. 76:6502-6509, 2002), was recovered from 60% of the MLN, suggesting that there are multiple determinants for the spread of virus from the intestine to the MLN. Phenotypic segregation analysis identified RRV genome segment 6 (VP6) as a secondary determinant of the spread of virus to the MLN (P = 0.02) in reassortant viruses containing segment 7 from the spread-incompetent parent. These data suggest that in the orally infected neonatal mouse, the extraintestinal spread of rotavirus occurs via a lymphatic pathway, and the spread phenotype is primarily determined by NSP3 and can be modified by VP6.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Antigens, Viral*
  • Capsid Proteins / physiology
  • Intestines / virology
  • Lymph Nodes / virology*
  • Mice
  • Rotavirus / physiology*
  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins / physiology

Substances

  • Antigens, Viral
  • Capsid Proteins
  • NSP3 protein, Rotavirus
  • VP6 protein, Rotavirus
  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins