Neuronal survival strategies in the face of RNA viral infection

Catherine E. Patterson, John K. Daley, Glenn F. Rall

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

Neurons of the mammalian central nervous system (CNS) are an essential and largely nonrenewable cell population. Thus, viral infections that result in neuronal depletion, either by viral lysis or by induction of the cytolytic immune response, would likely lead to profound neurologic impairment. However, many viral infections that result in tissue destruction elsewhere in the host produce few overt symptoms in the CNS, despite readily detectable virus expression. This observation has lead to the speculation that neurons possess strategies to limit the replication and spread of otherwise cytopathic viruses. These strategies either favor the clearance of virus in the absence of appreciable neuronal loss or promote the establishment of noncytolytic persistent infections. This review discusses some of these strategies, with an emphasis on how such survival techniques lessen the potential for CNS neuropathology.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)S215-S219
JournalJournal of Infectious Diseases
Volume186 Suppl 2
Issue numberSUPPL. 2
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 1 2002

Keywords

  • Animals
  • Cell Survival
  • Mice
  • Neurons/immunology
  • RNA Virus Infections/virology
  • RNA Viruses/pathogenicity
  • Virus Replication

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