Spread of infectious virus along the optic nerve into the retina in Borna disease virus-infected rabbits

Abstract

Selective damage of the optic nerve of 14 rabbits without interfering with the choroidal blood flow which supplies the retina and without altering the autonomic nerve supply was successfully achieved by Xenon coagulation. This procedure interrupted the axonal pathway between the brain and the eye. After experimental infection with Borna disease virus the typical disease could be induced. The pathognomonic retinopathy as well as characteristic perivascular choroidal infiltrates, however, did not appear in eyes with coagulated nerve heads. In general virus-specific antigen or infectious virus were not present in the retinas of such damaged eyes. These results permit the conclusion that the ocular expression of Borna disease is a consequence of virus transport via the optic nerve.

Adaptation of Borna Disease Virus to the Mouse

“…2 d) and cerebellum later in the course of infection than in the cerebral hemispheres and trigeminal ganglia (Fig. 2a, e), which supports the hypothesis of a neural (axonal) spread of BD virus inside the CNS (Krey et al, 1979). EM examination of the brain revealed small accumulations of fine filaments with a diameter of 3 to 5 nm associated preferentially with cytoplasmic cisternae (Fig.2c).…”

Borna disease virus-induced meningoencephalomyelitis caused by a virus-specific CD4+ T cell-mediated immune reaction

“…Although the characterization of the virus has not yet been completely achieved, some in vitro and in vivo biological properties, such as replication being exclusive to neural cells (Carbone et al, 1989;Herzog & Rott, 1980;Herzog et al, 1984), axonal transport (Carbone et al, 1987;Krey et al, 1979;Morales et al, 1988), routes of infection (Carbone et al, 1987;Morales et al, 1988), establishment of persistence (Narayan et al, 1983;von Rheinbaben et al, 1985) and the characterization of viral antigens (Ludwig & Becht, 1977), have been investigated.…”

Virus-Induced Pigment Epithelitis in Rhesus Monkeys

“…Experimental BD in rabbits [7] and our present investigation in rhesus monkeys re vealed virus-specific antigens and infectious virus in retinal ganglion cells and the pig ment epithelium [15], The pathway of the virus is not exactly known but as drawn from our previous experiments [16] the virus seems to be transported by axoplasmic flow via the optic nerve and retinal ganglion cells into the neuroepithelial layer. Shedding of discs from rod outer segments and incorpo ration into the body of pigment cells [17] most likely accounts for the accumulation of infectious virus and specific antigen in these cells.…”