Viral replication and lung lesions in BALB/c mice experimentally inoculated with avian metapneumovirus subgroup C isolated from chickens

PLoS One. 2014 Mar 17;9(3):e92136. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0092136. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Avian metapneumovirus (aMPV) emerged as an important respiratory pathogen causing acute respiratory tract infection in avian species. Here we used a chicken aMPV subgroup C (aMPV/C) isolate to inoculate experimentally BALB/c mice and found that the aMPV/C can efficiently replicate and persist in the lungs of mice for at least 21 days with a peak viral load at day 6 postinoculation. Lung pathological changes were characterized by increased inflammatory cells. Immunochemical assay showed the presence of viral antigens in the lungs and significant upregulation of pulmonary inflammatory cytokines and chemokines including MCP-1, MIP-1α, RANTES, IL-1β, IFN-γ, and TNF-α were detected following inoculation. These results indicate for the first time that chicken aMPV/C may replicate in the lung of mice. Whether aMPV/C has potential as zoonotic pathogen, further investigation will be required.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / immunology
  • Antigens, Viral / immunology
  • Chemokines / metabolism
  • Chickens / virology*
  • Female
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Kinetics
  • Lung / pathology*
  • Lung / virology*
  • Metapneumovirus / immunology
  • Metapneumovirus / isolation & purification*
  • Metapneumovirus / physiology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Paramyxoviridae Infections / immunology
  • Paramyxoviridae Infections / pathology
  • Paramyxoviridae Infections / virology*
  • Temperature
  • Virus Replication / physiology*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Antigens, Viral
  • Chemokines

Grants and funding

This work was supported by a grant from China Agriculture Research System (CARS-42). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.