Effect of the innate immune response on development of Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus-induced demyelinating disease

Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) infection of susceptible mice leads to the development of demyelinating disease in the central nervous system (CNS) associated with an inflammatory immune response. The demyelinating disease in mice has similarities to multiple sclerosis in humans and is used as an experimental model for the human disease. The innate immune response initiates the immune response to TMEV through innate immune receptors on cells that recognize components of the virus and activate intracellular signaling that leads to the expression of innate immune cytokines, chemokines, and effector molecules. The innate immune response directly affects the development of the adaptive immune response, especially the T cell response, which mediates viral clearance. However, infection of Swiss Jim Laboratory (SJL) mice with TMEV leads to a persistent virus infection of the microglia/macrophage in the CNS which contributes to the development of demyelinating disease. Susceptibility to demyelinating disease has been linked to the T cell response against the virus. However, the current studies will examine the role of the innate immune response to TMEV and the affect it has on the adaptive immune response and development of demyelinating disease following TMEV infection. The innate immune cytokines, chemokines, and effector molecules as well as the innate immune cells, both CNS resident and infiltrating peripheral cells, all contribute to the innate immune response following TMEV and may affect susceptibility to demyelinating disease.