Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD American Society for Microbiology
Résumé : International audience
Coronaviruses (CoVs) have shown neuroinvasive properties in human and animal secondary to replication in peripheral organ but the mechanism of neuroinvasion is unknown. The major aim of our work was to evaluate the ability of CoVs to enter the central nervous system (CNS) through the blood brain barrier (BBB). Using the high hepatotropic mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) type 3, its attenuated variant 51.6-MHV3, showing low tropism for endothelial cells, and the low hepatotropic MHV-A59 strains from murine coronavirus group, we investigated the viral-induced dysfunctions of BBB in vivo and in brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs) in vitro. We report here a MHV strain-specific ability to cross the BBB during acute infection according to their virulence for liver. Brain invasion was only observed in MHV3-infected mice and correlated with enhanced BBB permeability associated with decreased expression of ZO-1, VE-cadherin and occludin but not claudin-5 in the brain or in cultured BMECs. BBB breakdown in MHV3 infection was not related to production of barrier-dysregulating inflammatory cytokines or chemokines by infected BMECs but rather to a downregulation of barrier protective IFN-β production. Our findings highlight the importance of IFN-β production by infected BMECs in preserving BBB function and preventing access of blood-borne infectious viruses to the brain. IMPORTANCE: Coronaviruses (CoVs) infect several mammals including humans and are associated with respiratory, gastrointestinal and/or neurological diseases. Some evidences suggest that human respiratory CoVs may show neuroinvasive properties. Indeed, the SARS-CoV, causing severe acute respiratory syndrome, and the CoVs OC43 and 229E were found in the brains of SARS and multiple sclerosis patients respectively. These finding suggest that hematogenous spread CoVs may gain access to CNS at the BBB level. Herein we report for the first time that CoVs exhibit ability to cross the BBB according to strain virulence. BBB invasion by CoVs correlates with viral-induced disruption of tight junctions on BMECs, leading to BBB dysfunction and enhanced permeability. We provide evidence that production of IFN-β by BMECs during CoV infection may prevent BBB breakdown and brain viral invasion
ISSN: 0022-538X

hal-01187308
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01187308
DOI : 10.1128/JVI.01501-15
PUBMED : 26202229